Injustice: The Hidden Story
by batwheelsz350
Summary: This story is based loosely off of the Injustice: Gods Among Us game and prequel. This is a side story that will jump from prior to the bomb going off as well as after the "duplicates" are transported to the parallel dimension. Of course as per usual, I do not own DC characters, and am not sharing this story for profit, but only for fun, so no law suits please.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning And The End

Starting off before the big to do in the prequel area, but with my own take on how things should have gone down.

Chapter 1: The Beginning And The End

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~~ 5 Years ago ~~

Diana woke up with an extremely content and satisfied look on her face. She was glowing it seemed as she noticed the glean from the layer of moist sweat that covered her body as it shone off the moonlight that pierced through the bedroom windows. She took her left index finger and dragged it lightly across the exposed part of the chest that she wasn't using as a pillow at the moment. At the feel of her finger gliding across his chest, Bruce stirred, opening his eyes and looking down at the beautiful Amazon princess that was laying next to him with her leg draped over his and her head resting between his neck and shoulder. He couldn't stop himself from smiling while watching Diana absentmindedly tracing the scars covering his chest, feeling a fiery sensation along where her finger glided across his skin. He just laid there silently admiring the woman who had chosen to be with him on what had become a very special night. This night had quickly turned into one of the happiest moments of his life, and he still found that he couldn't believe she was here with him. To serve as confirmation, he took his right hand and placed it over her left hand, causing her to cease in tracing his scars. She turned her head to look into his eyes, while showing her happiness in the smile plastered on her face.

"Welcome back." Diana said warmly to him while smiling mischievously. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Bruce raised his hand under Diana's chin and brought her lips to his for a soft and intimate kiss. "What do you think?" He teasingly responded.

"I'm surprised that you woke up at all actually after the extended _workout _I put you through." Diana responded as she moved her left hand to cup Bruce's right cheek and softly began to stroke it, enjoying the feel of stubble beneath her hand.

"I'm almost afraid to sleep." Bruce admitted quietly. "It feels like I'm in a dream. I still can't believe you're here with me."

"I'm not going anywhere Bruce." Diana reaffirmed for him with confidence showing prominently in her voice. "It took such a long time to get here; I'd be foolish to leave now when I've finally gotten what I've wanted from you for years."

Hearing this caused Bruce to lean in and kiss her on the forehead as she had returned to tracing his scars. Even though he didn't want to, Bruce took a moment and looked over at the clock on his nightstand. When he saw what time it was he sighed in resignation. Diana heard it and looked up at him, curious to what was on his mind. "If it were up to me, I could easily find myself staying here for the rest of my life next to you."

"Hmm, don't tempt me Bruce." Diana teased before turning serious. "I know that we both have responsibilities to attend to. You need to patrol your city and keep looking for the Joker, and I should return to the Watchtower to see if any progress has been made there. I have to sit in on my monitor duty shift at the very least."

"I know princess. You're right." Bruce commented as he pulled Diana closer for another soft and passion filled kiss. As the passion increased, his hands began traveling down her body which she leaned into as she was enjoying the feel of his touch against her bare skin. Bruce rolled over so that he was on top of Diana again with his right hand caressing her breast before Diana suddenly stopped his hand with her own.

"If you don't stop now….we'll never be able to deal with our responsibilities." Diana forced out between breaths as she tried to maintain her composure. He continued kissing Diana down her neck, causing her body to react again just as it had each time before earlier this night. Diana gasped as she fought to catch her breath. "Bruce!" She called out. "You're incorrigible."

"You're not…..disappointed…..are you?" He asked in between kisses.

Diana fought for every ounce of control she could muster as she placed both hands on Bruce's face and pulled him away from her neck. "Not at all." She answered confidently. "I want nothing more than to let you continue, but we both know that we have to stop before we can't. For now."

"For now." Bruce repeated as he sat up and offered Diana a hand to stand up out of bed. They stood there for a moment before she leaned in and he wrapped his arms around her. Neither one of them expected that they would find such happiness. Diana was so happy that she'd managed to find her way into Bruce's heart. He was truly a warm hearted man that was well worth the struggle and the wait that she'd went through. He'd made love to her three times already and seemed ready for a fourth round if she were to give in to her desire to remain there with him. She'd never anticipated the level of pleasure that she received from being with Bruce. It was a most welcomed and pleasing surprise for her as she was just happy that she'd gained his love for her. She'd only gone in on this night hoping that Bruce would open up to her emotionally. There was no true plan or intention for the night to become physical, but once Bruce dropped his defenses, he overwhelmed her with his emotions and before Diana knew what had happened, she'd joined him in his master bedroom and given herself fully to him. Everything seemed to be turning to a state of bliss. Bruce had even offered the happy news between love making sessions that Clark had asked him to be the godfather of his unborn child. Knowing that Superman was about to become a proud parent, she began to ponder one day becoming a mother. She found that she could easily picture herself having a child to raise with Bruce. She knew this to be true, and no matter what happened in the future, she held no regrets whatsoever about what happened on this night, and couldn't wait for the moment where they would have more time to be together, but for now, duty beckoned for them both.

Reluctantly, they each released the other and located their clothes strewn about the bedroom floor so that they could get dressed and return to the Batcave where Bruce would teleport Diana up to the Watchtower before he left to patrol his city. When they made it down to the cave, Bruce was internally arguing with himself whether he was ready to profess to Diana just how in love with her that he was, but before he could muster up the fortitude, the Cray super computer sounded off an alarm that caught both of their attention, and Bruce walked over to the computer with Diana following closely behind him. She watched as he opened up the hail request that triggered the alarm, revealing Superman's face. "Bruce, I received word that Jimmy Olsen's body was recently found at the docks."

"I was planning on returning to STAR Labs in Metropolis to continue investigating the break in from the other night anyways." Bruce managed to say. "Someone there knows what the Joker took, and we need to know what it was."

"I can help Kal at the crime scene of Mr. Olsen." Diana offered. "I know that it must be difficult being a friend of yours."

"I appreciate that Diana." Superman replied. "I'll meet you there."

Bruce ended the transmission and turned towards the locker area heading to the changing room to get into the Batsuit. Within a couple minutes he was walking back out with his cowl in hand. Diana realized that she admired her new lover in his suit, especially with his handsome face still uncovered for her to enjoy. She wasn't looking forward to leaving though as she wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her time next to Bruce, but she knew that simply wasn't possible. They were heroes and there were innocent lives that would depend on them to stand up against the evils of the world, to set an example that what is good in this world is worth fighting for. One look at Bruce was enough for her to see that he would always be there to fight against any odds because it was the right thing to do, and not because it's easy. She stood there for a moment just drinking in the man that was walking over to her at the teleporter. "I'll meet up with you after I've checked out STAR Labs and gotten the answers we need." Bruce said as he stood just before her.

"Until then." Diana responded before leaning in and placing a soft chaste kiss on his lips before stepping onto the teleporter pad and waiting for him to engage the teleporter. When Diana disappeared from sight, Bruce slipped the cowl on over his head and made his way over to the Batwing. He quickly performed a preflight diagnostic check before powering on the engines and taking off into the night sky.

Shooting through the air like a rocket, Batman flew at maximum velocity to Metropolis, and within no time he was hovering over the STAR Labs facility. Batman entered from the rooftop and instantly began his search for the personnel that had been onsite when the Joker had broken in before. Surely one of them had seen or noticed something out of place. Joker wouldn't have broken in without some type of goal in mind, and Batman was going to make it his business to find out what that something was. He dropped down onto the roof and entered through the emergency access door with relative ease, and slowly and methodically made his way through the entire facility until he finally reached his destination. Business seemed to go by without noticing Batman's presence as scientists were scurrying about in a manner that told Batman they were trying to get rid of something that could be brought up from a police investigation. It was when he saw them moving over to a computer terminal that he made his presence known. "What are you trying to cover up doctor?" He asked as the scientist sitting in front of the computer jumped up in shock.

"N…Nothing….Nothing Batman." The scientist managed to squeak out.

"Step aside doctor." Batman ordered. "Let's just see what this nothing is that you were about to delete."

"N…No, you can't. " The scientist stated and began to lunge forward, only to have his arm snatched in a hold by Batman while simultaneously becoming the recipient of a cower inducing Bat glare, and cowering for him to see it was. "I'll, I'll tell you what you need to know."

"I want to know what the Joker took." Batman stated.

The scientist hesitated for a moment but he knew that he was only delaying the inevitable. While Batman had become known as a hero, his methods were more violently direct and he wouldn't wait for things such as a warrant to seek out information. Instead he used his deductive skills to work around the issue of having illegally seized evidence thrown out of a court with other means of ensuring that justice was served to the guilty. The scientist had read all about the Dark Knight and his methods, and based on that knowledge he then began to spill every detail of what exactly they had been experimenting with.

~~ At the docks ~~

Diana was surveying the scene of the crime while Superman was discussing the situation with the police chief. He still couldn't believe that his good friend Jimmy had been murdered. According to the report, it appeared that a gun was fired through the lens and into his chest. It was a painful death as he eventually bled out while lying in the alleyway. He was looking at the chalk outline that revealed where Jimmy's body had been lying prone on the sidewalk when his thoughts were interrupted by Diana as she had approached him and was standing just to his left. "Kal." She said to further grab his attention. "The police collected some evidence. They found something peculiar."

"What is it Diana?" He asked.

Diana reached out holding a plastic evidence bag that contained a single playing card. "This was addressed to you." She said as she handed it to him.

Superman looked over the bloody playing card, wondering why it was addressed to him until he saw what card it was. He began thoroughly inspecting it until he found the reason why. He looked over at Diana with his face growing increasingly white with each passing second. "We need to find Batman, now." He said before tossing the card to the police chief and taking flight, disappearing through the maze of sky scrapers and buildings. Diana was quick to follow as she deduced on her own that Joker was the prime suspect, but didn't understand what seemed to cause the blood to drain from her best friend's face. She tracked Superman down just as he was landing in front of the STAR Labs facility, and just off in the distance Diana could see the Batwing hovering on auto pilot, which indicated that its pilot was still around as well. She landed next to Superman as he was quickly pushing through the front doors. He then scanned the area using his x-ray vision until he located where Batman was at inside the building before he started to run in that direction. He wasn't about to be subtle and planned to smash through walls in order to make the most direct approach to Bruce if it took much longer.

~~ Back in the Research department ~~

"Please Batman, you have to understand." The scientist was trying to explain. "We were only studying it for beneficial reasons. The only reason we didn't tell Superman was because he'd think we are using it for ulterior motives when that's just not the case."

"There is no valid reasoning behind it doctor." Batman fired back. "Your research has cost you the lives of multiple colleagues. I'd say that should be a good indicator of what it was actually being used for."

Just then Superman burst through the doors. "Batman, I need your help." He called out as he approached.

Batman could see the panic laced all over Superman's face, and started to become concerned himself. "What is it?" He asked while hiding the concern away.

"Joker was the one that killed Jimmy, and he left a calling card." Superman explained. "It was covered with Jimmy's blood, and there was microscopic print added to it. He put it there for me to find."

"What is he telling you?" Diana said as she joined the two of them in the Research department area.

"He has Lois." Superman answered in a worried tone.

Batman was quick to action as he immediately called in every available Justice League member to help with the search. After constructing a course of action, he went out on a search through the underbelly of Metropolis' society; seeking out any and all sources of information as to the Joker's whereabouts. By the time daylight was beginning to breach the morning sky, he'd come across some troubling information regarding the Joker and a "misplaced" nuclear warhead being in some way connected. Superman chose to stay away from the real world as Clark Kent and continued in a layered effort with the Flash to seek out and locate any trace of Lois or the Joker while Bruce investigated his findings. Bruce had kept the news of the warhead from the other members of the Justice League for the time being. He needed to know for sure if what he'd gained from some street thugs was accurate before he would share that information. He also felt that Superman was a bit on edge and didn't want to add any stress to his current situation unless absolutely necessary.

As the day moved along, Bruce investigated every government agency, looking for any information to confirm the missing warhead. By the time he'd finally located the group that had lost the warhead, Superman was well on his way to locating the Joker. Flash had come across some thugs that were involved in setting up the meeting location with Lois and Jimmy. It turned out to be an informant of Lois' that took a small fee to be swayed into betraying her trust. All it turned out to take was one call from the informant, and Jimmy and Lois were off in search of a dirty politician. That was all the setup that the Joker required in order to get Lois right where he wanted her.

Flash had reported back in to Batman all of his findings at the same time as he did Superman. Upon hearing what Flash had learned, Superman wanted to ask some questions of his own, and immediately took off towards the location of the thugs, but by the time he'd gotten there, the group was all lying in an apartment dead with twisted smiles evident on each of their faces. Between the time that Flash had confronted the thugs and gotten back to Batman and Superman, they had likely called Joker to inform him of Flash being told what had happened. In order to keep anything else from being leaked, Joker had apparently met back up with them and provided a deadly dose of his Joker venom. As Superman was the first to arrive at the scene of the crime, he was also privy to information that the others weren't. Joker had left yet another calling card with a location printed onto it. It was large enough that the normal human eye would have no trouble reading it, as he'd been unconcerned about giving up such information. Superman immediately took flight and headed in the direction that the Joker had given him.

When Batman arrived at the apartment, Superman was already long gone. He'd left no signs of knowing where the Joker was likely leading him to, but Batman knew that whatever and wherever it was, it certainly couldn't be good. Knowing that there was a limited amount of time, he quickly used the computer controls on his right gauntlet and pulled up the tracking beacon on Superman's communicator. Not one other member of the Justice League knew of the hidden tracking code that only Batman could override using a null cipher encryption for advanced protection against any attempt at hacking into it. It was an ancient form of encryption rarely used in the present world and nearly impossible to crack without the cipher being a known by the hacker. As soon as he triangulated Superman's current position, he immediately activated the sensor for the Batwing to approach for rapid pickup. It was then that he attempted to make contact. He reached up to the right side of his cowl and enabled the communicator to open a direct line. "Superman, come in." He called out.

After a few seconds of silence, some static began to come through. "I know where he's at Batman." Superman responded. "I'm going to stop him before he does something to hurt Lois."

"It's a trap." Batman replied, attempting to get Clark to think rationally.

"Then I'm going to spring it." Superman said before terminating the line.

At that time the Batwing was hovering over the apartment complex, and Batman climbed out a window before firing his grapnel up into the night sky, making contact with the hull of the Batwing. Within seconds, he was climbing into the cockpit and taking off towards Gotham as fast as the Batwing could carry him.

~~ Gotham City ~~

Superman burst through the main doors of the abandoned warehouse that matched the address Joker had written on the card. Superman tried scanning the area for any signs of life, but the walls had been prepared for him, lined with lead. Without x-ray vision, he instead focused on his other senses to guide him. Walking through the halls within the building, he found that even his super hearing was affected. Joker had planned everything out well as he was using a sound system installed to carry voices and other noises where they weren't. One of these speakers had led Superman to a dead end office. His fear for his wife's wellbeing was beginning to weigh on his frustration when suddenly a video monitor came to life, revealing the Joker's twisted smiling face before him. "Well hello Big Blue." Joker called out. "I was beginning to wonder just how much longer you were going to make me entertain your little wifey here."

"Where is she?" Superman demanded.

"Oh, she's merely enjoying the successful surgery that she underwent." Joker answered.

"What….did…..you…..do….to her." Superman growled behind clenched teeth.

"Oh don't be such a spoil sport there Supie boy." Joker cackled. "I haven't harmed your precious Lois…..Well, not much anyways. I'm afraid that she simply wasn't the talkative sort. At least not at first. But after some time, your precious Lois began to share such intimate details. I suppose I should offer congratulations on your unborn son. Kind of anticlimactic though already knowing everything about the kid if you asked me."

"I swear to you Joker, if she has one hair out of place…" Superman began to threaten before being cut off.

"Oh Supes, don't get your panties in a bind." Joker fired back. "You'll see Lois again soon enough and that's the point." Joker began to laugh at the look he saw on Superman's face. "She's up the hallway to the left, third room from the back."

Superman wasted little time in moving to the room Joker had indicated, but upon opening the door, he found the room to be empty. He slammed his fist against the wall, putting a giant fist sized dent in it. Just then the room instantaneously filled with smoke. Under normal circumstances, he'd not even be affected by it, but initially inhaling some of the smoke had caused him to begin coughing. After a few moments of coughing and feeling his way through the smoke out of that room, he began to experience something unlike he'd ever really felt before. He was short of breath and completely unable to focus on what was ahead of him. He stumbled down through a corridor while trying to clear his head and blurred vision. He didn't know what was happening to him, but he had to push on for Lois and their child. They were depending on him to get through this and rescue them from this mad man. He lamented the fact that he'd not listened to Batman about the trap. Deep inside he knew that what Bruce was telling him was more for his own safety and benefit than anything else. He'd irrationally disregarded it, not caring about the trap, and only thinking about the welfare of his wife and child. His only option now was to press forward, and so that's what he did. He gasped in shock when he reached the end of the corridor, as standing before him were three replicated Doomsdays. The one to the front was steadily approaching him as he took a defensive stance, ready for battle. He'd not let fifty Doomsday monsters keep him from saving Lois let alone the three that were here before him. As the first monster approached he sidestepped and backhanded it into a wall, where it quickly crumpled to the ground. Not wanting to give the monster a chance to recover, he quickly moved over to it, grabbing Doomsday by the throat, and began to squeeze as the monster struggled to get free. He glanced over to the other two monsters as they were standing still, merely watching a monitor screen off to the side. So long as they refrained from attacking him though, he'd continue to focus on the one that was beginning to become limp in his grip.

Batman was coming upon the outskirts of Gotham City in the Batwing almost two minutes after Superman had landed at an abandoned warehouse. It had been run by mobsters, and as such they'd paid to keep certain aliens from being able to view what actually went down inside the facility until Batman had gathered enough evidence and leverage to be sure justice was reached for the guilty. Within another two minutes, he'd be at that facility, and hopefully be able to get to Clark before he'd gotten himself into too much trouble. Batman knew the Joker well enough to recognize when he was pushing someone's buttons. He'd done it to others before like Harleen and Harvey Dent. He used his twisted yet brilliant mind to his advantage in being sure he got his way, and this instance would be the same.

Finally he'd arrived at the warehouse and he could plainly see where Clark had plowed through the main doors. If there were time, he'd scold the Kryptonian for being so careless, but would save that for once Lois was safe. As he slipped silently through an access point into the building, he sent a message out to all available members of the Justice League. He knew the rage and desperation that was building inside Superman, and despite his stubborn nature, he also knew that there was a chance he'd need help to keep Superman from crossing a line that he'd never be able to return from. Batman made his way down through the upper floors of the building until he came upon a scene that drew his immediate attention. He walked into a large open room where a medical table was set in the center. There were surgical tools strewn about the room around that table alongside some blood soaked gauze. Then over in a corner of the room was a crumpled form of a body wearing what appeared to be a white lab coat. Batman knelt down and rolled the body over to get a look at the young female doctor. He pulled out a device and placed a finger in it to pull a finger print scan and it took only a matter of seconds before information began flowing before him about this victim. She was a renowned cardiovascular surgeon that had also dabbled in the neurosurgical field. She had established herself as one of the best doctors to choose from for any needed surgical procedures when it involved the heart. It was obvious that she'd been brutally murdered by the Joker as there was still a scalpel protruding out of the young woman's chest just about where the heart would be located. Something about this wasn't sitting right with the current situation. He reached for his communicator to give Superman more information about what he'd just discovered, but the Kryptonian had set his communicator to dark mode. The only thing Batman could do then to get word to him personally would be to again use the tracking code to pinpoint Superman's location. As he did that, he continued scanning the room for any clues of evidence when his eyes found some crumpled pieces of paper in a trash bin next to a computer desk in the corner of the room. He pulled them all out, flattening each piece as he quickly scanned through the documents until he came across one that spelled out what had been done. A device similar to a pacemaker apparently could be installed to send off a signal if a person's heartbeat were to cease. His tracking program located where Superman was, and confirmed that he was still in the building, but a floor down and at the opposite end of the building. Batman was about to move in that direction when he was interrupted by the sound of the intercom PA system clicking on. "Oh Batsy, you're trying to foil my fun." Joker mock whined. "We'll have no interruptions from bats tonight!"

Just then the door to the room Batman was in slammed shut and locked. The next thing Batman heard was the maniacal laughter of the clown over the PA system. "Don't worry my pointy eared friend; I haven't left you high and dry." Joker stated. "How about some entertainment?"

The computer on the desk then suddenly came to life, showing a security monitor video stream of Superman strangling Lois. She didn't have much time left judging from the lack of movement in her body as she was beginning to cease in her attempts to get free. Batman quickly pulled out his explosive gel gun and formed a circle around himself before detonating it, causing him to fall into the lower level. He hoped that the explosion would get Superman's attention, but if not he was going to try one last thing. He mentally reached out to J'onn and received a quick response. _J'onn, you have to contact Superman now! He's about to kill Lois._ Once he sent that thought out to J'onn, everything else just clicked into place. _If her heart stops, then the missing nuclear bomb is going to explode._

_Understood._ J'onn responded before severing that mental connection and reaching out to Superman's mind. As soon as he made that attempt, he was met with an unnatural amount of fear that was consuming Superman's ability to think rationally. J'onn struggled, but focused his mind to the task at hand and pushed through that fear in search of his friend. _Superman._ He called out. _You must stop what you are doing immediately._

_I can't J'onn._ Superman responded. _If I do, then Doomsday will take advantage of the situation. I've got to get through the monster before Joker kills Lois._

J'onn wasn't sure how to respond, so he connected Batman's mind into the conversation. _Batman has told me that you are killing Lois._

_Let her go Clark! _ Batman yelled in his mind. _You're killing her._

Superman clenched his eyes shut, not believing what his two friends were telling him. How could he be killing Lois? But why would his two friends tell him something if it weren't true? At that thought he slowly opened his eyes as he eased his grip slightly. His vision was blurry again, but what he could see in front of him was definitely not the large grey monster, but a human. He instantly released his grip and moved quickly to catch Lois' body before it crashed to the floor. As his vision cleared, he felt the consuming fear slowly dissipating and he could clearly see that it was Lois that he was holding in his arms. He used his x-ray vision to check her vital organs and saw the final heartbeat before a device clicked that was attached to her heart. _Oh god. Bruce! _Superman yelled in his mind. _She's not breathing!_

_Start doing CPR Clark. _Batman ordered. _I'm on my way._

_Batman._ J'onn interrupted.

_What is it J'onn? _Batman responded as he was making his way over to Lois and Clark.

_The Watchtower has picked up an explosion_. J'onn answered solemnly. _It was in Metropolis._

Batman knew the answers, but he still had to ask the questions. _What kind of explosion? What is the anticipated amount of casualties?_

_All indications are that it was a nuclear explosion._ J'onn glumly answered. _The entire city has been destroyed._

Batman stopped in his tracks and opened a communication channel that was designed to reach out to all Justice League communicators. "Captain Atom, we need you to move to Metropolis immediately. There was a nuclear explosion. Get the radiation down to a safe enough level to allow outsiders in so that we can search for any possible survivors." Batman ordered. "Flash, Diana, and Hal, as soon as Captain Atom gives the all clear, I want all of you to head up the search and divide the other League members into teams to help with survivors and cleanup efforts."

All members confirmed that they understood their directives before Batman closed the open channel and switched to a private channel before reaching out to Diana. "Diana, I'm not going to be there to help immediately." He stated softly in a voice that was only meant for her. "I'm still needed here, but I'll contact you as soon as I can."

"Okay Bruce, I understand." Diana responded.

Batman started running again towards Lois and Clark, and just as he was about to reach the door, it swung open to reveal Superman carrying Lois in his arms. He quickly realized that her body was limp and unmoving, and Superman held a lost yet blank expression on his face. Bruce could only imagine that his own face had resembled that look as an eight year old boy. His thoughts were interrupted by the Man of Steel as Superman just continued slowly dragging his feet forward and down the hall. Batman had to step off to the side or risk being trampled over by a Kryptonian. "She's gone." Superman murmured to seemingly no one in particular.

Even though the Batman was always the hard, cold, calculating, and unemotional member of the League, he couldn't help but to feel his heart wanting to reach out to Clark. No one should have to experience what he just had, being manipulated and tricked into killing your own wife and child. What could he possibly do or say to help? The only thing that came to mind was to speak two words. "I'm sorry." Batman said as he turned and followed Clark down the hallway.

The rest of the trip out of the building was filled with grief and silence. Batman, possibly for the first time, was unsure what he could or should do. His mind was wandering from that uncertainty to what he would do if he were in Superman's shoes. Thinking about that sent a dangerous chill down his spine. How far would he go if someone were to use him to kill a loved one? Would he be able to remain in control if he were manipulated into killing Alfred, Dick, Tim, Damien? What if it had been Diana? He shook his head as he didn't even want to imagine what would happen if that were the case, which lead him to think in another line. Clark would grieve for the time being, but then he'd seek revenge on the man responsible for this. Batman needed to find Joker and have him incarcerated as soon as possible. If Joker were already behind bars, hopefully that would be enough to keep Superman from pursuing the clown himself. At that moment they had walked out into the street and Superman turned to face him. His eyes never left the body of his wife in his arms though. "Thank you Bruce." He said quietly.

Bruce didn't know what to say about that, so he just stood there silently with his eyes fixed on Clark. He seemed to be so broken and defeated. It was a sight Bruce never believed he'd really ever see from the Kryptonian, and it was a little troubling if he'd admit it to himself. When the silence became noticeable, Superman took flight and disappeared into the night sky. From the direction he was headed, Bruce calculated that he was taking Lois' body to the Fortress of Solitude. Once his cowl's enhanced vision couldn't pick up Superman any longer he reached up and activated his communicator. "Diana." He called. "I need you in Gotham."

"On my way Batman." She responded.

Batman ended the transmission and immediately started searching for the Joker. That was now the top priority. He simply had to be caught immediately as it would only take so long before the rage would start to fester inside of Superman to a boiling point. After less than an hour, Diana had arrived in Gotham, and Bruce gave her a destination to meet him, and it took just another five minutes for her to meet him at the designated rooftop. When she landed and spotted him, it only took her a matter of seconds to clearly see that something awful was on his mind other than what happened in Metropolis. She wasn't sure what it was, but knew it had to be something significant to cause Bruce to not be able to hide it. She took in her surroundings as she walked up to him and once she was sure the roof was a secure area, she reached out her arms and embraced him. "What's wrong Bruce?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"Clark." Bruce answered just as quietly.

"Did something happen to him?" Diana asked, concern beginning to become evident in her voice.

"He….He…." Batman tried to explain but couldn't. "Lois is gone." He managed to blurt out. "The baby too."

"Hera." Diana exhaled as she gently squeezed a little tighter. The thought of someone taking Bruce from her instantly struck her thoughts. "Kal must be devastated."

"He is." Batman responded as he began to pull away from the embrace. "We have to find Joker before he does."

"Why?" Diana asked. She already knew part of the reason, but wanted to hear the confirmation.

"He's responsible for it." Batman answered. "All of it. If Superman finds him first, he might not be able to contain his emotions, and could do something that he can't come back from."

Diana's thought process wanted to question that as she would likely kill the Joker herself if she were in Kal's shoes without hesitation. The Joker was a horrible monster that would only take more lives, and he should've been executed already as it was in her opinion, but she knew better than to share that opinion with Bruce as he was adamantly against a hero killing. He wanted it to be left to the justice system to play the role of executioner as he didn't believe that one person should have the power of judge, jury, and executioner. "What about Harley?" She asked as she knew well the Joker's most famous accomplices.

"Not involved." Batman answered as he turned to the ledge of the roof. "She's still in Arkham. I'm having her transferred into protective custody now. Green Arrow is monitoring that as we speak."

"Fair enough." Diana stated as she stood next to Bruce. "So, how do we find Joker?"


	2. Chapter 2: When Lines Get Crossed

Superman makes the decision to kill.

Chapter 2: When Lines Get Crossed

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It didn't take long for Batman and Wonder Woman to catch up to the Joker. In fact with Diana there, the fighting didn't last long at all. In fact the argument they had after the Joker had been handed over lasted longer. Bruce wasn't happy at all with how aggressive Diana had been. When the Joker knew that he was cornered, he attempted to give up, but Diana wasn't in the mood for providing quarter to her enemy as she rammed a fist right into Joker's midsection, folding him over like a steel chair. She then proceeded to kneel down while picking the clown's head up off the ground by his hair and was preparing to strike him again until Bruce grabbed hold of her arm to stop her from taking a swing. Feeling Bruce trying to stop her caused Diana to stop what she was about to do, and she dropped the Joker's head before climbing back to her feet and walking away. She never did leave the scene while Batman focused back to taking the Joker into custody. The trip to the FBI building where he'd be surrounded by numerous agents and holed up in their high security cells was painstakingly quiet. Diana just looked out the window of the Batmobile, never facing Batman at all during the entire trip.

The silence just continued even after they had released the Joker into custody. Batman wisely used his connections as a Justice League member and with Commissioner Gordon to gain him access to the interrogation that would be performed as part of the investigation on the Metropolis bombing by the proper authorities. Back inside the Batmobile, the only break in silence came when Captain Atom reported in to inform the League that he would need the better part of a whole day to clear out enough radiation where it would be safe to allow any personnel onsite. After hearing that, Bruce made a decision to let Gotham go for one night, and began heading back to the Batcave. When Diana became certain of where they were headed, she did finally stop constantly looking out the passenger window and began to occasionally glance in the direction of Bruce. He chose to take that as progress. Seeing how Lois dying had affected Clark so much had actually rattled Bruce more than he was willing to admit. All he wanted to do at the moment was be with his family and protect them at any cost. Wanting to break the deafening silence, Bruce flipped radio stations to hear reports of what had been investigated by various news channels. The reporting of the tragic event was depressing to hear, but he knew that listening to the reports being provided was just another avenue of attaining details that could prove to be beneficial.

Diana remained quiet while sitting in the Batmobile as she just listened to the news reports over the radio. Her heart had broken for all of the lives that were lost, but especially for the loss her best friend had suffered. Thinking about this and listening to the reports being broadcast was putting her on the verge of shedding tears. She wanted to have something else to get her mind off of that sorrow, but she didn't want to speak with Bruce yet to avoid the silence they were going through. She was still hurt by his accusation during their argument that she had lost control and would have crossed the line if he hadn't stopped her first. She vehemently denied such a thing occurring as she tried to explain that she would've stopped, but didn't see the harm in leaving the Joker a broken shell of himself for a very long time. She was brought out of her reverie when the Batmobile came to a stop on the turnstile in the cave. When the canopy slid open, she quickly exited and began making her way over to the teleporter. She wanted to head up to the Watchtower so that she could grieve in the seclusion of her own personal quarters. Batman noticed the direction that Diana was heading and he removed his cowl to reveal his face to her if she would look at him. "Where are you going?" He asked, tired of the silence and feeling a need for her to be there instead of leaving.

"The Watchtower." Diana answered without facing him as she reached the control panel and began entering the access codes along with the coordinates.

"Diana, wait." Bruce called out before pausing as she stepped onto the teleporter pad and finally faced him. "Please."

When Bruce said please to her, it caused her to pause. She looked into his face and saw something there that spoke volumes to her. He was sorry for his accusation, but had yet to form the words. But he'd said please. That was a word that Bruce nor Batman had been known to say to anyone. She stepped off the platform and canceled the delayed transport timer that she'd set before it sent her off to the Watchtower. "Why?" She asked. She needed to know what it was that Bruce was requesting from her and why.

"Because…" Bruce began before trailing off as he searched for the right words. He hated feeling vulnerable and sharing that feeling in private, let alone with someone around him. He sighed loudly as he fought within himself.

"Because isn't a reason Bruce." Diana huffed as she was beginning to grow impatient.

"Because of what's happened." Bruce tried to explain. "After all the losses tonight, I….I don't want to risk losing…" Bruce trailed off again with another frustrated breath. Why was it so difficult to express what he was feeling in words?

Diana hugged herself as she listened to Bruce trying to find the words. He was putting forth such an effort to reveal how he was feeling about what had transpired. She was hurt by the night's events as well, but could now clearly see that Bruce was only showing strength because he felt that he needed to for everyone else. She crumbled as she saw the man before her trying to share while at the same time attempting to remain the steady rock that would always be a sign of stability for Gotham, for the Batclan, for the Justice League, and for the budding new relationship that they had just begun a single night ago before all the tragic events began to unfurl. Seeing that was all that she needed to cause her anger to dissipate and disappear quickly. She hurried over to the man that she had fallen in love with years ago, embracing him with a hug as she tried to lend her love and strength to this man that was now returning the embrace wholeheartedly. She knew now that he was asking her to stay because a part of him needed her to stay with him and offer anything that they would need to get through the travesty that they knew they'd be dealing with for the unforeseeable future. Tonight they would lend themselves to one another as Bruce and Diana, for tomorrow the world would need Batman and Wonder Woman, and they would need to be unwavering.

Diana grabbed Bruce by a gauntlet covered hand and led him over to the changing room, where she began helping him remove his suit piece by piece. When he was completely unclothed, she moved over to the shower and turned on the water, adjusting it until it was at a comfortable temperature. Once satisfied, Diana turned back towards Bruce and watched intently as he began removing her armor. It was an incredibly intimate moment, but was also excruciatingly slow as Bruce took his time removing piece by piece. Finally she was standing in just her boots, and Bruce took a moment to marvel at the image of perfection before him as he knelt down and grabbed one of her legs just below the knee. He looked up at Diana as she was watching him move, her breath catching as his fingers felt their way to the clasps that held her boots tightly against her legs. Once all the clasps were unlatched, Bruce slowly removed the boot while placing gentle kisses down her leg, starting at mid thigh and working his way down until the boot was removed and tossed aside. Then he repeated the process for the other leg. When Diana was completely nude, she reached down with both hands and gently pulled Bruce back up to stand before her as she leaned in to kiss him while walking backwards into the hot shower.

They stayed in each other's embrace as the hot water pelted them from all angles of the multiple shower heads. The hot water seemed to wash away all the layers that each of them had held up throughout the course of the night as it ran down their bodies and into the shower drain. Bruce was showing such affection to Diana the whole time, and she found that it overwhelmed her senses. He flinched backwards when he began to taste the saltiness of Diana's tears as they followed the drops of water from the shower down her cheeks. She tried to look away from his gaze to wipe away the tears she'd accidentally allowed to escape as he searched for what had caused the tears to fall, but Bruce moved his hand to gently hold her chin and bring her face back up to where he could meet her eyes. "What's wrong Princess?" He asked softly.

"I….I think it's finally sinking in about all of the lives that were lost today." Diana responded as she sought to compose herself. "I've always known that casualties are to be expected in battle, but all of those millions that were lost in one fell swoop…." She said before trailing off to stop a sniffle. "I find myself asking how can one cope when the loss of innocent people is so great and vast."

"Losing all those lives is tragic Princess, but we can't waver in fighting for this world." Bruce offered as encouragement. "You of all people know that the effort isn't in vain if you want something badly enough."

Diana willingly turned back to him knowing what he was implying, and offered a weak smile to let him know that she appreciated what he was trying to do. To further enforce her showing of appreciation, she placed her arms around his neck and leaned in, resting her head against his chest. "Thank you Bruce." She said.

"Anything for you Princess." Bruce stated, and he meant every word. He would give anything he could for her. After some more silence had managed to find them in the shower, he backed out of Diana's hold and reached for some shampoo and conditioner. He poured a generous amount into his hands and massaged her hair until it was all covered in a thick and rich lather. A small moan escaped from Diana's lips as her body enjoyed the attention that Bruce was providing as he massaged her scalp while working in the shampoo before rinsing it out and repeating the process with conditioner. When he was finished with her hair, Diana opened her eyes and gazed lovingly into his as she provided the same care to him in return. They continued this process as they washed each other's bodies before stepping out of the shower and drying one another off and slipping into two robes that had been hanging conveniently just outside the shower area.

During the entire time, not a word was spoken, but if either of them had been confronted and asked, they would both have stated in all honesty that words didn't need to be spoken. The intimacy of each action spoke volumes between the two of them. That time together provided both Bruce and Diana with a comforting knowledge. For Bruce, it gave him the realization that perhaps even when things could look their most bleak, there was still a glimmer of hope that he could be happy. For Diana, she was provided with a comfort to know that she could be just a woman at times and still feel secure. She felt like she had nothing to prove and could simply be Diana when she needed to be, and not have to be the Amazon warrior Wonder Woman unless she chose to. It was a very comforting moment for each of them, and they both were cherishing that it had happened with them together.

Eventually Bruce and Diana made their way out of the cave and into the manner where they traipsed through the study into the kitchen. Bruce, not being a very good cook by any means, gathered together the ingredients for two lunch meat sandwiches with juice to drink. They remained silent as they ate their sandwiches and drank their juice before placing the dirty dishes into the sink, exiting the kitchen, and swiftly traveling upstairs into the master bedroom. Bruce closed the door behind him once they were both inside before setting his sights on his beautiful princess as she made her way to the bed while removing the bathrobe and letting it fall to the floor at the same time. He felt a lump grow in his throat as he allowed himself a moment to enjoy the view. Diana could feel the heat from his gaze on her as she turned and smirked at him. He was standing next to the bedroom door still with an almost slack jawed look on his face. There was also a lust filled look burning brightly in his eyes that she could easily make out from across the room. She briefly returned her focus to the oh so inviting bed, pulling back the covers before draping one leg onto the mattress and turning back to face Bruce, lightly padding the bed next to her as she continued to climb into it.

Bruce finally managed to reel in his desire enough so that his brain would function enough to allow him to walk over to the bed. It was his turn to smirk as when he removed the bathrobe from his body, he saw the expression change on Diana's face as she drank in the image before her. This was a look that many women had sent Bruce's way before, but until now, the look never held anything for him aside from showing him someone else's greed at his expense. With Diana it was different. She never would be looking for anything other than love from Bruce, and he was more than willing to give her everything of himself that he could. He slid into bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her when she laid her head on the left side of his chest before possessively draping her left arm and leg over top of his body. They both knew at that point that tonight would not be about sex, but instead about offering comfort and security to one another. Diana sighed and relaxed when she noticed that Bruce was of the same mindset about what to was to be expected tonight. He seemed to just relish in the fact that they were together on this night, and able to hold one another, offering each other strength, compassion, and love. She lifted her head up slightly and leaned in, placing a soft and happy kiss just above Bruce's jaw before laying back down on his chest. She just stayed there enjoying the soft and repetitive beat of his heart as he held her there. It was so steady and seemingly calm, just like he always appeared to be on the outside. It was then that she finally decided that it was time to break the silence. "I'm sorry for the way I reacted."

"You've got nothing to be sorry about Diana." Bruce said softly as he placed a kiss gently on her head. "I should have trusted that you were in control the entire time and wouldn't cross that line."

"So, what's next?" She asked him.

Bruce tucked an arm behind his head so that he could have a better view of Diana. "You mean tomorrow, or tonight?" He answered with another question and a slightly teasing tone hinting within his voice.

"Both I think." She responded, looking up and making eye contact with the man that was lying basically beneath her.

"Tonight…..Tonight we try to cope and reflect." Bruce began to answer as he thought out loud. "Tomorrow we need to go about business as usual. At least as much as possible. Clark will need some time to move forward with his life, and the world won't stop moving along just because Superman isn't going to be there for a time to protect it. Then we need to help with what's left of Metropolis. I'll transfer a good portion of my charitable funding to help rebuild Metropolis, and the Justice League needs to be there to help find any possible survivors."

"How long do you think it will take Kal to return?" She asked.

"I'm not sure." He responded. "It takes different people different lengths of time to move through the grieving process. Some people never find a way to move on."

"Hopefully Kal finds a way to move on and find peace in his heart again." Diana said as she returned to her original position before letting her eyes fall shut.

"Hopefully." Bruce repeated as his eyes moved towards the ceiling, his mind already racing with possible scenarios that could happen once Clark did decide to return. Deep in the recesses of his mind, he felt a twinge of concern growing as a grieving and angered Superman could very well turn out to be one of the most dangerous forces the world had ever seen.

Diana could tell that Bruce was deep in thought as she felt his muscles clenching and relaxing over and over again. She laid there in silence counting each time that Bruce clenched his muscles, and made it to 107 before she succumbed to a dreamless slumber. When she did finally fall asleep, Bruce had finally found a way to put his thoughts away until morning by casually running his fingers through Diana's raven hair. Besides, they'd have plenty to do in order to keep themselves occupied with the cleanup effort, and he also planned on being an integral part of the Joker's interrogation as well. With those thoughts dancing through his mind, he forced himself to look in other directions, and fixated on the brief conversation he'd just shared with Diana. He wondered just how long it would take Clark to recover and move on. Bruce still had yet to move on from the ordeal of his own parents being murdered, and that was over twenty-five years ago. He then thought about Diana, and wondered to himself how often she'd be startled awake when the vivid nightmare of his parent's deaths would come to him in his sleep. After another twenty minutes of processing through different thoughts and scenarios though, Bruce finally fell asleep still cuddled with Diana.

~~ Following morning after the all clear was received ~~

The Justice League wasted little time in moving in to the destroyed city as soon as Captain Atom had finished removing enough of the radiation from the site that used to be a thriving city. It saddened Diana's heart going through the rubble when she knew that if there actually were any survivors they would be far and few between. The city had been turned into a virtual wasteland, and it would take years to rebuild as they would basically have to start completely over. Nothing appeared to be salvageable. She worked alongside Hal and Barry, sifting through what used to be beautifully architected buildings and homes for any signs of life, but finding none. Even though the ending of last night had definitely been pleasant for her, Diana was still greatly troubled by what had happened to Superman and this once proud city. For as much good as men had done in the world, there seemed to be so much more evil to counteract it. Man had created a weapon of such destructive power, but for what purpose? Peace seemed to be just a pretty word for this world, and completely unattainable. She found herself wanting to be back in Bruce's arms with each passing moment. It was the only place where she could seem to see peace in this world now. Her thoughts then went to where exactly Bruce was now. She never would have thought that he wouldn't be right here helping the League as they all worked through this unfortunate situation. They had been working diligently for hours already, digging and searching, and yet there was no sign of Batman's presence. She was about to reach out to him when Barry's voice came over the communicator. "I found some survivors!" He exclaimed.

"What's your current location?" She asked as he flew up into the air hovering above the ground. Diana could use some uplifting news to see some survivors, and was anxious to help.

"North end." Barry responded. "From what it looks like, these people were in what appears to be a bomb shelter. Lucky for them."

"I'm on my way." Diana replied before end the transmission and flying off. She made short work of finding Barry's location and sure enough he had discovered a handful of survivors. Most were scientists, but one man in particular stood out. Superman's friend Alexander Luthor was among the survivors. They were all conscious and aware of what had transpired even though none of them had known why it had happened. They were explaining what they were doing in the bunker when Diana arrived. She found that they had been testing a prototype weapon, and were merely lucky that the testing was being done when the real bomb went off. Lex was the one that was asking more about the whys, how's as the others were more in shock than anything. "Why wasn't Superman able to stop it?" Lex asked finally.

Everyone else stopped talking the second that Lex had asked the question. Diana held a look of uncertainty on her face as she debated whether or not to share any details. She briefly debated within herself before finally grabbing Lex around the waist and flying off with him to a more remote area. When she landed, she began pacing back and forth, still debating whether Lex should be allowed to know before anyone else in the public became aware. While she paced back and forth, she sporadically looked over at Lex, taking in how patiently he was waiting for answers. Finally she stopped and turned to face him fully. She sighed as she made her decision. "The reason Superman wasn't able to stop it was because….because….."

"Please, Wonder Woman." Lex gently pushed as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Superman's been a good friend of my for years. If something's happened to him, I'd like to know."

Diana sighed again as she looked into Lex's eyes. "It's because he inadvertently caused it." She said in a very small and quiet voice. "He…he was tricked…manipulated into believing that he was being attacked by the Doomsday monster. It was too late when he finally realized that she wasn't the monster. Her heart was linked to a remote detonating trigger that went off when her heart stopped beating." Diana couldn't bring herself to look anywhere other than the ground just in front of her feet. She felt horrible having to explain how Kal had been tricked into killing his family.

"She?" Lex asked, shocking Diana out of her depressed trance like state.

"Lois." Was all the answer she could muster.

"Oh my lord." Lex gasped in response. "Where is he now?"

"He's grieving right now." Diana replied. "The rest of the League is doing all we can to help out in his absence."

"Well, then we'd better get you back so that you can continue helping." Lex said with as charming a smile as he could manage. Diana's lips curled ever so slightly, and she was then ready to rejoin the rest of her teammates on the search for survivors.

As nightfall was swiftly approaching, the League was finishing up with the cleanup efforts. Lex and his team of scientist had turned out to be the only survivors after all. It was truly disheartening for the League, but they couldn't just sit idly by. They continued to work clearing away all the rubble and debris that remained. Green Lantern took the majority of it off world to be burned into ash by the glaring heat from the sun while other League members slowly dispersed and headed back to their homes. No one wanted to remain in the destitute wasteland. News crews and government officials had joined in and were going back and forth all around the area seeking answers or reportable stories. Inevitably, someone would eventually ask where Superman was. Diana didn't want to answer that question. She felt that she needed Bruce there to be with her when that happened. Until Kal chose to return, she just knew that the rest of the League would be looking to her and Batman for guidance and instruction. Where was he all this time? She began to reach up to her ear for her communicator when she heard a noise from above her. She looked up, and in the distance, she could make out that a person was floating downward through the slight breeze. A few seconds later, she found that it was Superman, and he landed next to her not long after she'd confirmed it was him. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy and he was shaking slightly. She could see that there was a murderous looking intent in his eyes. "Where is he?" Was all he asked.

It struck her that this was what Bruce had been afraid of. Superman seeking out vengeance instead of justice. There was also no doubt in her mind about who the "he" was that Kal was referring to. She only hoped that having Joker in custody already would deter Superman from acting out. "Batman and I apprehended the Joker last night." She answered. "He's going to be brought up on a multitude of charges Kal."

"So, he's in Gotham then." Superman stated before flying off and disappearing from sight like a rocket had launched.

Diana immediately reached up for her communicator as she knew that Bruce needed to be warned. At the rate of speed that Superman was traveling, there wouldn't be much time at all before he reached Bruce and the Joker. "Batman, please respond." She called out immediately after opening a channel.

"What is it Diana?" Batman answered. "I had to leave the interrogation room, so it'd better be important."

"It's Kal." Diana replied. "He's on his way."

"Understood." Batman responded. "I'll handle it here. Batman out."

~~ Gotham FBI building, outside the interrogation room ~~

Batman ended the transmission with Diana. He knew there was no time for pleasantries, and looked over at the group of agents that were monitoring his interrogation of the Joker. "Increase the protection detail." He ordered. "I've been informed that Superman knows we're here."

"So." One of the agents replied. "Superman's on our side. Always has been."

"He's never been grieving from the loss of loved ones before." Batman fired back as he turned to walk back into the interrogation room. He glanced back over his shoulder as he reached for the door. "Joker is responsible for the deaths of Superman's family." He said before opening the door and walking back in.

"Ah Batsy, I thought you were done with our little chat." Joker calmly stated as he leaned forward on the table before him. "I was beginning to get bored."

"I don't have time for this Joker." Batman growled as he started to walk around the table, placing a hand forcefully onto the Joker's shoulder and shoving him back down into his chair before returning to the other side of the table and slamming a fist and hand down onto it as he leaned closer to the clown. "The nuke. How'd you get it?" He asked.

"What, you want one?" The Joker defiantly chided. "Pshh, copy bat."

Batman had heard enough at that point. He needed answers, and needed them now. He growled and reached across the table, grabbing and picking the Joker up by his lapels just as a blast caused a hole to break through the outer wall behind him. When the dust and debris settled, the Joker was the first to see Superman gliding in, and Joker straightened back in his seat while revealing and victoriously smug smile as he released a small chuckle inside his throat. Superman's eyes were still glowing red as his feet touched down inside the interrogation room. "Get away from him." He barked out to Batman, brooking no room for argument.

"I'm handling this." Bruce fired back as a retort to try and reach Superman, but he merely ignored what was said as he continued to stalk over towards the Joker.

Joker leaned forward, resting his arms against the table before Superman reached to his left, grabbing the end, and flipping the table to the right against a wall as easily as if it had been a cardboard box. With that obstacle removed, he lifted the Joker from his seat before slamming him into the viewing glass, cracking it behind the Joker's pinned body as Superman leaned in face to face. "You drugged me." Superman basically yelled out. His body was quivering from the pent up rage swelling inside of him. "Made me…." He continued before trailing off. Superman lowered his head slightly as grief overwhelmed him. "Lois….my son." He strangled out in a lower almost whisper.

"First Krypton, now Metropolis." Joker began as he wanted to continue pushing Superman's buttons. "People you love tend to blow up, don't they."

That comment brought Superman out of his grief stricken state and back into anger. He growled and pulled up his left arm with a tightly clenched fist, ready to smash a hole in the clown's skull. "Superman, don't!" Batman yelled as he began to reach for the Kryptonite chip in his utility belt that he always kept with him in case Superman ever went rogue.

Superman threw the punch, but his aim was to the left of the Joker's head, instead smashing into the already cracked glass, causing more cracks to spider web around his fist. The Joker had closed his eyes and slightly turned his head. He wasn't entirely sure that Superman wouldn't actually go through a brutal and likely death resulting blow. Batman saw in that instance that Superman gave pause to stepping over the line and murdering the Joker. Perhaps he was still under control after all. It was enough that he no longer was looking to pull the Kryptonite out from his belt, but when the Joker realized that Superman had held back, he smirked, and Batman knew that he wasn't done taunting or gloating. "Heh, that's why I like you Superman." Joker said as he placed a hand on Superman's shoulder. "You're much more gullible than…" He trailed off and instead used his head to point in the direction of Batman. That caused the restraint to snap once again as Superman flung the Joker's body over his shoulder, where it slammed against the wall on the opposite side of the room. The Joker slid down the wall, and onto the table before it gave way to his body weight and crumpled to the floor. His shoulder was dislocated from the contact with the wall, but he ignored the pain and pushed himself back up to his feet as Superman was again stalking towards him.

The Joker tried leaning back to deal with a kink in his back before he began to press on, pushing more buttons. "You think you can have a family. That locking me up will magically reform me, and they'll all be safe." Joker reached down and set the chair up that he'd been in originally before returning to his seat. He puffed out his chest and continued on. "So big." He said and then gestured to his head. "So dumb." He allowed himself a moment to laugh aloud as he saw the look of anguish on Superman's face before he continued pushing. "Now run along so I can break outta here. I've got lots of planning to do to top this."

That was the final straw for Superman as he growled again and snatched the Joker by the neck, lifting him into the air.

Batman knew that the Joker would keep pushing until he got Superman to cross the line. It would be another Harvey Dent, and Bruce wasn't about to let that happen. "That's enough!" He yelled before placing his hands on Superman's arms and trying to pull down to force Superman to release the clown. Superman wasn't going to have any of it though, and brushed Batman away like a rag doll. When Batman landed on the ground, his head struck a raised area of the hole in the wall that Superman had made. It was a strong enough hit to the head that he was dazed by it and almost unconscious.

Batman wouldn't be able to stop it now, and the Joker knew it. All Superman needed was one final push. He thought quickly and managed to find enough room to steal a breath even though Superman had his hand clamped around the Joker's neck. It was now or never. "I know it's soon, but…" He said, which brought Superman's full attention back to him. "Think you'll ever love again? Maybe you won't kill your next family."

The only thing that could be heard after that was the Joker's sickening final laugh.


	3. Chapter 3: To Console And Understand

The League and Superman work to come to grips with what he's done.

Chapter 3: To Console And Understand

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_Initial reports coming in are claiming that the infamous Joker is indeed the one responsible for the destruction and murders of all the innocent lives that resided in what used to be Metropolis. The Joker had been apprehended by Batman and handed over to authorities, but sources are stating the while being held, the Joker has died. Details of how the Joker passed away are still sketchy to this point, but some witnesses have claimed that Superman is the one….._

"Shut it off." Batman commanded, interrupting the report playing over the Watchtower inlaid monitor on the conference room table.

J'onn typed in the commands to end the transmission, causing the screen to go black from the conference room table. "I just can't believe Superman would lose it like that." Green Arrow said, still in disbelief.

"I was there." Batman responded in a tone that left no room for argument. "The Joker pushed and pushed until Superman couldn't take any more and lost control crossing the line that he can never come back from."

"Are you implying that you think Superman should be imprisoned?" Diana asked from beside him.

"I'm not implying anything." He half argued in response. "But to say that Superman shouldn't have to answer for his actions would be questionable at the very least, especially as a member of the Justice League. Regardless of what happens, we have to hold each other accountable at a higher standard than the rest of the people on Earth. No matter the circumstances, we can't allow any one member to ever be judge, jury, and executioner."

"Batman makes a valid point." J'onn added. "And a point that which Superman held highly until recently it seems as well. If we do not hold ourselves accountable for our own actions, then we are no better than the men and women that we protect the innocent civilians from."

"I understand that J'onn, believe me I do, but we also need to take into account everything else that Batman confirmed as well." Diana stated arguing her point. "Let's not forget that he was manipulated and drugged by the Joker into believing that Lois was something she wasn't. Something horrible that Superman felt he had no choice but to fight. Joker is the one that caused all this. Kal was just an unwitting pawn, and he has already paid a great penance."

"No one's doubting that Diana." Green Arrow said. "We just can't let Supes be given a free pass is all that we're saying."

"Exactly." Batman responded. "What we need to do as far as the League is concerned is issue a statement stating that we are cooperating fully with the government. If at that time they state that they want Superman to turn himself in, then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I expect however that they'll issue a pardon for him. Especially because of all the good he's done for this country over the years."

Diana crossed her arms over her chest. She knew that she had lost this argument. "I suppose I can see your point." She conceded.

"Where is he now?" Green Lantern asked.

"Based on my findings he's back at the Fortress of Solitude." Batman answered. "Clearly he's still grieving and in an unstable state of mind. Being there is the best place for him until someone of authority calls for his return. When that happens we'll reach out to him. Until then, let's set up a media session to issue that statement. Better to stay ahead of the likely leaks while we can."

Everyone stated their agreement that the statement needed to be made as soon as possible before they moved along to the happenings with what remained of Metropolis. The charitable donations of Bruce Wayne combined with Lex Luthor's desire to rebuild had provided a good portion of the amount of money that would be needed to completely rebuild from the ground up. They knew that the buildings were by far and away the least important when looking at the loss of life, but there was nothing except time that would help to recover from that. After the discussion of Metropolis was over, Batman concluded the meeting. He waited in the room as the rest of the League members exited until it was just Diana and he left. She had walked to the door, following everyone else as they exited, but upon reaching the door, she paused just long enough to be out of ear shot before typing in a command to shut and lock the conference room door.

"What are you doing Princess?" Batman asked.

"I think we need to talk Bruce." Diana answered as she turned and headed back towards the table. "Kal is my best friend, and I just can't bring myself to believe that he was capable of what you're saying he did."

"Losing your loved ones tends to do strange things Diana." Batman responded. "Believe me; I know what I'm talking about here."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Just look at me Princess." He answered gesturing to the entire length of his body. "I'm living proof of what losing a major part of your life can do to you. All those years ago, when my parents were murdered right in front of me. Had that night not happened, then the name Batman would never have come to be. I'd only have been Bruce Wayne, the real Bruce Wayne. The one that you've come to know over the years."

Diana thought about what he'd said for a moment. "If you were never Batman, then you and I likely never would've met."

"Yes." Batman answered. "That would be a distinct possibility."

Diana was almost afraid to ask, but she was an Amazon, and wouldn't run away from fear or the possibility of emotional pain. "Would you have preferred it that way? Having never lost your parents, and not having ever become Batman?"

Batman started to turn towards a monitor. He didn't want to answer that question as there didn't seem to be any good answer. It had always been simple to him, but now it was laced with so many uncertainties of the choices that he'd made in this life without his parents. He had his back facing her when he stopped suddenly, standing rigidly still. He knew that she would think now he was going to avoid answering that poison pill of a question, and not answering would hurt her just as much as him telling her that he'd still likely choose his parents over being with her. He stood still for a moment, and Diana began to brace herself for the worst. Bruce may be cold at times, but he wouldn't intentionally say things to harm her feelings unless it was the truth and what she needed to hear. She watched as he slowly lifted his arms up until his hands were locating the release points for his cowl before lifting it off of his head. His eyes were cast downward when he turned to face Diana again. "What would you have me say Princess?" He asked in return.

"I asked the question Bruce, so I would want you to speak the truth." She explained.

"The truth." He repeated almost not believing that answer. "The truth is Princess, that it's a complicated answer. I've lived so much of my life now based off of what happened to my parents. There's so many choices that I've made along the way that I would potentially not make had they not been killed. There's nothing that I've wanted more than to have them back in my life. But had that night not have happened, then would I have adopted Dick, Jason, or Tim. Where would they be if that hadn't changed my life? I wouldn't be Batman. That much I'm sure of. And that means I'd never have met Clark, Barry, J'onn, or even Hal. I also wouldn't have met you, or at the very least I wouldn't have gotten to know you as well as I have. We may have still crossed paths during charity events or other social gatherings, but would I have already been in a relationship with someone else? I also wouldn't have been the playboy billionaire that the public sees today. Instead they'd have seen the real Bruce Wayne. You see Diana, there's so much that I'd potentially have to have given up to get them back, but even so, with all the possibilities and choices to make that would shape my life then, I can't say that if given the opportunity I wouldn't take that chance. I'd hate it if I were forced to give up some of the things that I have now."

"But you still would." Diana added to finish what he was saying.

Bruce saw the hurt still on Diana's face and he hated that he had been the cause of it. He quickly stepped forward and cupped her cheek in his hand, and he looked deep into her eyes. "Please don't take it personally Princess." He tried saying to comfort her. "Before a few nights ago, I wouldn't have even hesitated to answer that question."

Diana looked up into Bruce's eyes upon hearing that. "What do you mean?"

"You." He answered confidently. "Having you in my life would be the hardest thing to even think of giving up. I've wanted to be with you for so long, and having just finally started to try us being together, I don't want to see it end. There's no other woman that could possibly make me happier than you Diana. I…I've loved you for so long. I don't want to ever have to give that up, and I don't know now if I really ever could."

Diana's eyes filled with tears as she listened to Bruce. He'd just told her for the first time that he loved her, and any sadness that she'd felt drained away immediately upon hearing those words leave his lips. She took the two paces that stood between them, wrapping her arms around his neck and firmly placing a kiss on his lips. Bruce was taken by surprise from Diana's reaction, and initially stood there almost awestruck, but soon he was reciprocating with the same passion that he'd displayed to her during their first night together. When she felt his tongue dancing against her lips, she quickly opened and granted him access. Bruce's experience took over at that point and dazzled the beautiful Amazon as his gauntlet covered hands gently gliding down her arms, barely touching and causing a shiver to run down her spine. When his hands reached hers, she immediately interlaced her fingers between his before she reluctantly pulled back as she could sense that they both desperately needed some oxygen. Both were panting heavily and fighting to regain the composure that had managed to elude them. When he was able to form coherent thoughts again, Bruce spoke between breaths. "Not that….I'm complaining…but…..what…..was that about?" He asked.

Diana took two deep and long breaths before answering. "You've never told me that you loved me before." She responded. "Hearing you say that was something very special to me because I don't believe you say things like that very easily and….and because I love you too."

Bruce took a step back to look deeply into Diana's eyes after she'd shared how she felt about him as well. "No, I don't." He said with a smirk on his face. "And neither do you."

Diana nodded to show that she agreed. "So….now what do we do?" She asked.

"Well, for starters we go about business as usual." Bruce said as he released her hands and bent down to pick up the cowl that he'd absentmindedly dropped at some point without recollection of when. He slipped the cowl back on, and waited for a moment until Diana's expression started to turn to disappointment before continuing. "And as for you and I, dinner at the Manor tonight seems to be in order. Unless you have other plans."

Diana's face instantly lit up at the invitation being presented to her before allowing a mischievous grin to appear on her face. "I'll have to look at my schedule, but I think I can squeeze in a late supper."

"You'd better Princess." Bruce jokingly accosted. "Seven o'clock?"

"Seven o'clock." Diana repeated.

~~ Smallville, one week later ~~

Jonathon and Martha Kent were busying themselves with preparations for dinner, as was custom for the farming couple. Jonathon had just come in from the barns and set a container of milk into the refrigerator when they were interrupted by a knock at the front door. Martha shrugged her shoulders when Jonathon glanced over at her, silently questioning if she was expecting a guest without his knowledge, but her shrug told him otherwise. He closed the door to the refrigerator and made his way to the front door, wiping his hands off at his sides before reaching up to unlock it and pull it open. Standing at the doorway was a bearded Superman, hunched over and leaning against the house. He glanced up to look at his adopted father, and his expression revealed a truly beaten man. "Clark?" He whispered. "You do know you're dressed as Superman don't you?"

Clark merely stood there gazing into his father's eyes as a response. Jonathon knew that he had to move quickly and threw an arm around Clark's shoulders as he pulled him inside the house. He took a moment to peak back out the door, checking for any unwanted viewers in the area before closing the door and locking it. "Martha!" He hollered through the house as he joined his son and began to walk him down the hallway towards the kitchen. "We're going to have to put out a dinner setting for a third person."

"Who stopped by that's staying…..for…dinner?" Martha started to ask as she saw Jonathon and Clark walking into the kitchen side by side. "Clark!" She yelled as she ran over to him and enveloped him in a motherly embrace. She was smiling brightly until she noticed the look on her son's face. It was the same look that he'd maintained since either of them had laid eyes on their son. "Here son, have a seat." She offered as she pulled out a chair at the dinner table. Clark plopped down into the chair without a single word as his parents scurried about readying for their unexpected guest to join them for dinner.

"We were so worried about you sweetheart." Martha commented as she set a placemat and plate in front of him before going back for a drinking glass. "We hadn't heard anything since that awful explosion went off in Metropolis. I'm so glad to see that you made it out alright."

"I'm not alright." Clark responded, slowing a little anger behind the quietness in his voice.

Jonathon and Martha stopped in their tracks at hearing their son's tone. He'd never spoken in such a manner towards Martha before. "What happened son?" Jonathon asked.

"It was…..I did it." Clark managed as he stared at his empty glass. It seemed metaphorical to him at that moment. The glass was like him, empty on the inside.

"What do you mean you did it honey?" Martha asked as she took the glass and filled it with lemonade that she held in a chilled pitcher.

"If I….I couldn't…" Clark tried to formulate the words, but was struggling with his emotions. "The Joker…he tricked me….Now Lois is gone." He said before getting up from his chair and almost stumbling over to the hallway. "And so is my son." He whispered as he left the kitchen area.

Jonathon and Martha looked at each other in shock from having heard the news. They hadn't known about Lois being pregnant with Clark's baby. To say they were shocked was an understatement. They were rendered speechless but they were forced to shake the shock from their systems as Clark returned, now out of his Superman suit and into his normal farm clothes. As soon as he was back inside the kitchen, Martha immediately enveloped him in another hug as she repeatedly whispered how sorry she was for what Clark had gone through. Jonathon knew that there was more to the story however, but he remained quiet as his son needed to have some time to just grieve. Dinner becoming ready interrupted that line of conversation as Martha and Jonathon were forced to remove the food from the oven and stove top. This was the first time since Clark could reach and see the food in the pots and pans on top of the stove and counter that he had been served entirely by his parents. It was a little unsettling to him about how they were seemingly coddling him, but he knew deep down that they only had the best of intentions for him.

Dinner steered away from Lois and the Metropolis situation as instead; Jonathon offered updates on the Kent farm and the happenings within Smallville. Those two things seemed to be the grounding constant for Clark. No matter what happened in the world, being with his parents in Smallville always seemed to simplify things. It wasn't until everything else had been discussed that the large elephant in the room was all that remained, and it was plain to see that they all looked for any possible escape. This led Jonathon to reach for the television remote. He powered it on to find a news report streaming, and Clark's parents listened in as he merely sat idly by.

_With Joker's death being confirmed, the government is working alongside the Justice League to decide what Superman's fate should be. Many are speculating that a pardon from the President is to be expected as Superman has been a beacon for justice, and even with the Joker's death being linked to Superman, no one wishes to see him punished when such a monster in this world has been removed._

Jonathon turned the TV off at that point, as he knew that the elephant in the room had no choice whatsoever of being avoided any longer. "Is it true Clark?" He asked. "Did you kill the Joker?"

Clark's attention immediately went to his feet seemingly as he cleared his throat. "Yes dad." He confirmed.

"What did he do son?" Jonathon asked.

"He….he kidnapped Lois." Clark explained. "When I found him, he'd done something to the both of us. I saw the Doomsday monster, but it wasn't what I thought I saw. By the time I realized….Lois' heart stopped….Batman said that was what caused the bomb to detonate."

"Is he sure?" Martha chimed in.

"Batman's almost never wrong ma, especially when you want him to be." Clark confirmed as he tried to focus on anything in the room aside from his parents. "I buried them, and came back for the Joker. I didn't know what I was going to do until it was over and I'd already killed him." At that point Clark lost his composure and tears of sorrow mixed with regret slid down his cheeks.

Martha's heart broke for her son. He'd been so powerful for so long that it was surprising to see him so vulnerable, and that unnerved her. She moved to sit right beside him and once again held her son in her arms. "I'm so sorry Clark." She again said softly to her son. "What are you going to do now?"

"I….I don't know ma." Clark answered between sniffles. "That's why I came. I'm hoping to figure that out."

~~ Two weeks later ~~

"So like, when is Supes going to come back?" Hal asked in exasperation.

"We don't know." Batman answered. He hated having to be so vocal, but without Superman there to serve as the unofficial leader of the League, someone had to step up. "To my knowledge, he hasn't even made contact with any League member as of yet."

Everyone naturally looked over to Diana, as she was Superman's best friend in the League. "Batman's right. I haven't heard a single word from Kal in weeks." She confirmed.

"Well what's he waiting on?" Hal asked. "Four days ago any of his involvement with the Joker's death was pardoned by the President."

"Superman should be permitted to take as much time as necessary until he's ready to return, and we should support that." Diana replied.

"The League is more than just Superman." Batman added as he stood up in front of his chair. "And we will prove just that if we need to. I have nothing further to discuss, so unless anyone has anything else to add…." He paused and briefly glanced around the table. "Then consider this meeting adjourned."

Everyone stood up and made their exits, Diana, J'onn, and Batman at the rear. Diana clearly heard Hal muttering to Hawkgirl as they walked out about just how much longer should Superman be permitted to be on leave of duty since the League was his idea in the first place. Diana began to increase her pace as she wanted to confront Hal about what he'd just said, but she was stopped by a hand grabbing each of her shoulders. She looked down to see that both J'onn and Batman had halted her from continuing on. "Let him go Princess." Batman said. "He has a valid point."

"What do you mean a valid point?" She asked as she quickly spun around to face Bruce, now extremely irritated.

"I've checked. He's not even been seen as Clark Kent, and he had an alibi to be out of town on the day of the explosion." Batman explained. "He can't stay in his Fortress or Smallville for too long."

"Batman is right Diana." J'onn added. "As a part of the grieving process, Superman needs to take steps toward moving on at some point. The longer it takes for him, the more difficult it could become."

"Besides, according to what I've discovered, even the Kents haven't been seen around their farm for the past three days." Batman stated.

"So you've been checking up on him?" Diana asked.

Batman shot her a glare that almost implied he thought her to be ignorant to even think anything else from him. "I can't believe you Bruce." Diana said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You have to be one of the most paranoid beings in the entire universe. He's your friend. Why have you been keeping tabs on him? Do you think he's going to suddenly decide not to do what's best for the world?"

"Anyone's capable of changing their view Diana." Batman responded. "Even Superman. He's already crossed the line once. What's to stop him from crossing it again?"

"The Joker deserved what he got from Kal." Diana fired back. She couldn't see Bruce's eyes go wide open under the cowl upon hearing her response.

"That's still no excuse Diana." Batman argued as he quickly composed himself. "We can't take the law into our hands. It makes us no better than our enemies."

"But with the death of the Joker, Kal has legitimately saved lives that would surely be lost the next time that monster got free." Diana responded as she dropped her arms to her sides with hands clenched into tight balled up fists. "In most instances I agree with you, but there has to be extenuating circumstances when dealing with monsters such as him."

"And who decides just what those circumstances are Diana?" Batman fired back as he draped his cape around himself to hide the white knuckled fists that he now had. "Kal, Hawkgirl, Flash, you? Because I won't make that choice. Killing is killing no matter if it's deserved or not, and it's never the acceptable choice to make."

"So you wouldn't make that choice if put into the same circumstance?" Diana questioned.

"No." Batman confirmed without hesitation.

"Well then I certainly hope that you don't ever have to experience that first hand Bruce." Diana growled.

"I already have!" Batman shouted before storming out of the conference room, bumping shoulders with Diana hard enough that with her not expecting the contact; she actually had to take a step back to maintain her balance.

Diana began to march right after him, but J'onn stepped in the way this time. When she noticed the admonishing look that her Martian friend was shooting at her, she gave pause and took a deep breath to help calm her. "What is it J'onn?" She asked.

"You were in the wrong Diana." He responded. When she had a confused expression on her face and her stance changed from aggressive to inquisitive, he continued. "If you recall, Bruce Wayne had adopted three sons over the years."

"Yes I remember finding that when I initially researched him." Diana responded.

"Then you would also know that his second adopted son, Jason died tragically." J'onn continued. Diana nodded in confirmation. "Would it surprise you to know that what had been reported as the cause of death was inaccurate?"

"Are you saying that it was the Joker?" Diana asked as things started to click for her. When J'onn nodded in confirmation, her eyes opened widely in disbelief. "But Bruce didn't even take a single day off. We wouldn't even know about it if not for the news reports starting to stream through."

"And Batman never once attempted to take the Joker's life." J'onn added for emphasis. "He has always believed that once you head down that path into the abyss, it is impossible to return. That is why he has been watchful over Superman's activities, and I have my concerns as well for our friend. I only hope that he can find a way to come to terms with this tragic situation."

"Thank you for stopping me J'onn and explaining everything." Diana said with a warm smile.

"That's what friends are for Diana." J'onn responded as he watched her turning to follow after Batman. Diana walked with a faster pace than she normally would through the halls. She half expected that Bruce would've sought out escape to his Batcave, but when she checked the logs of teleporter usage; there was nothing to indicate that it had been used in over an hour. Even though the coordinates were immediately wiped from the memory when traveling to destinations such as the Batcave or Fortress of Solitude, there was still a line item revealing that the teleporter had been used. She went back out into the hallway wondering just where Bruce had slipped off to. She started to think of this as a challenge for her to play the part of the hunter and try to track down the elusive Batman. She almost smiled just thinking about how much more of a challenge it would be if Bruce was actually aware that she was seeking him out and tried to avoid being caught. Shaking her mind from those thoughts, she focused on the task at hand to locate Bruce without any additional help. She started off by heading to the commissary. Batman basically lived off of coffee, as it seemed almost as important to him being able to function as oxygen. When she arrived, she gave the room a thorough sweep, but found no sign of Batman there. Her next stop was the monitor womb, where only Shazam sat at the monitor desk. She knew all too well that regardless of the situation, Batman wouldn't remain in the same room as Shazam. Billy Batson's teenage mentality showed through too often for Bruce to be there as Billy would never be able to stay quiet with the knowledge that someone else was in the same room as him. Only Barry seemed able to remain in the same vicinity for any length of time. That left only the personal quarters and training facilities. Even though she highly doubted that Bruce would retreat to the personal quarters, she did look through his room as well as her own before heading down to the training area. Upon arriving there, she found that only one room was occupied, and entered her override access codes before slipping in quietly.

Once inside the training room, Diana immediately located Bruce in the center of the room surrounded by various holographic villains. There were also a few bots that had batarangs stuck into them, some in what would be considered a fatal blow in real life. She glanced back up just in time to see Bruce spring to action again. He leapt into the bot with a holographic image consistent with Deadshot. A swift twist, and the bot's head contorted into an awkward position before the bot dropped to the ground and Batman moved over to another. Diana glanced over at the control panel when she saw the Two-Face bot pull out a gun and fire, the bullet ricochet off the training room walls. Bruce had removed the safety protocols and increased the enemies to their maximum violence levels. By the time Diana looked back up though, all of the bots aside from one was laying on the ground defeated. The only bot standing was being held by Bruce and repeatedly being struck in what would be the face. This particular bot had a holographic image of the Joker. Batman continued to pummel it even after the holographic display had stopped producing the Joker's likeness. "Bruce." Diana softly called out to him. She watched closely as he slowed in his pummeling movements, eventually coming to a stop while falling on his knees next to that bot. His shoulders were heaving up and down as he sucked in breath after breath, his face lowered to looking downward at his hands that were resting on his thighs. Diana cautiously approached until she was standing next to his kneeling figure. She sat down next to him when he made no move to show that he'd acknowledged her being there. She could almost hear his heartbeat still pounding inside his chest as she turned to face the man that she loved. "Bruce, I'm so sorry." She said in a whisper. "I didn't know."

"It shouldn't make a difference." Bruce stated flatly before rising to his feet and turning to leave.

Diana quickly reached out and snatched his hand preventing such a move from happening. She wasn't about to let Bruce escape so easily. "There are going to be times where we don't agree Bruce." She offered. "But that doesn't mean that we've stopped loving each other, and it shouldn't mean that we walk away and avoid things. I want to know everything I can about you so that I can understand why you feel the way you do about certain things. I also want you to know all there is to know about me. Then maybe we can come to an understanding when we don't agree with each other instead of being angry."

Bruce's shoulders slumped ever so lightly as he released a cleansing breath. "Maybe." He said as he turned to face Diana.

Bruce and Diana slowly moved in closer to one another, and reached out their arms to for a heartfelt embrace before they were interrupted. "There's a situation in Bialya. All available Justice League members report." Came the voice of Shazam over the Watchtower intercom.

~~ Fortress of Solitude ~~

Superman was pacing about the Fortress. His parents weren't exactly thrilled about his taking them to the Fortress even though they stated they didn't feel the need to do so. His father was especially upset about having the choice basically taken from him. The man just didn't understand. Superman had lost so much already, and he simply couldn't bear the thought of losing anyone else that was close to him. Perhaps if he sat down with his father and explained his reasoning behind bringing them here, then Jonathon would be more accepting of it. Superman decided that he would try that approach and walked to the room he'd last seen his father in, sitting on a couch flipping through channels on a TV. As Superman walked into the room and found his father still there, he noticed that now Jonathon was watching intently to what was being shown on the TV screen. He turned to look at what had grabbed his father's attention to see a news report video that revealed civilians of the Middle Eastern country of Bialya being gunned down by militant officials. The thread scrolling at the bottom of the screen read that the ruler of Bialya had issued orders for the military to strike down any transgressor within the country that showed any signs of being against his rule. Superman's teeth grounded together as his hands clenched into fists. "No more." He growled, catching Jonathon's attention just soon enough to see a blue and red streak sailing out of the room.


	4. Chapter 4: Forming Lines In the Sand

Superman begins to lay out his plans

Chapter 4: Forming Lines In The Sand

* * *

"What's happening Billy?" Diana asked as she and Batman entered the monitor womb together.

"You know that country is off limits without explicit permission to enter their borders." Batman rattled off. "They've already implied that any act against them would be considered an act of war."

"I know, I know Bats." Billy said as he held his hands up in surrender. "Believe me I learned my lesson from the last time I brought it up, but this time it's different. It's…."

"Superman." Batman finished for him as he was looking at a monitor that revealing a blue and red streak stretching across the sky.

"What's Kal doing there?" Diana asked as Bruce turned and stomped out in the direction of the hanger bay while reaching for his communicator on the side of his cowl.

"He's doing something stupid." Batman said over his shoulder just before opening a comm link channel. "Batman to Justice League. Superman's gone rogue and broken the treaty of Bialya. Meet me in the hanger bay for emergency launch in two minutes."

Diana and Shazam raced after the Dark Knight as he stalked his way through the halls until arriving at the hanger bay. There he was met by Flash followed shortly by J'onn, GL, and Hawkgirl. Diana and Shazam were the last to arrive, and they all followed Batman into the closest available Javelin. Quickly he input the commands to access the bay doors and configured the best approach to reach the war ravaged country. Within seconds, the Javelin came to life and rocketed out into space until Batman performed a steadily aggressive orbital drop. Hal being a fighter pilot was enjoying the dangerous descent and increasing speed. The only thing he didn't like was that he was a passenger instead of the pilot. The other members were becoming slightly nervous as the wings were a bright glowing red, and at some points they could have sworn that they each saw some molten metal balling up and peeling away. Diana was the one to add something productive to the sounds of the creaks and groans that the hull of the Javelin was making. "What's the plan Batman?" She asked.

"We have to stop Superman's interference first and foremost." He answered. "Try reasoning with him first, but if he won't come willingly, then leave him to me."

"What are you going to do if it comes to that?" Hal asked.

"He'll use the Kryptonite that he always keeps in that utility belt." Hawkgirl answered for him.

Batman shot a look at Shayera for a moment before he noticed the ice cold glare being sent his way from Diana. "You'll actually use that on Kal?" She asked in a raised and aggravated voice.

"Only as a last resort, and only so that we can get him and get out." He replied. "Believe me Diana, I don't want to have to use it, but Superman is knowingly breaking a treaty that he was directly involved in. He knows he shouldn't be there."

Diana turned away from Batman crossing her arms over her chest, disgusted with what she'd found out about just how paranoid a man that he was.

~~ Bialya Air Space ~~

Superman was streaking across the sky, looking for any acts of violence against the defenseless. It wasn't long before he found some of just what had brought him there in the first place. Below he saw a group of jeeps and two tanks as they plowed through a small village. They were decimating buildings as they passed, and forcing the residents from their homes before lining them all up and executing each one that they found. By his count he could clearly make out about a dozen militants outside the vehicles. He chose what he felt was the best course of action and swooped down to the nearest tank. Superman slammed down feet first directly onto the main gun barrel, causing it to buckle and pinch shut. The soldier seated behind the turret machine gun began to fire upon Superman even though it was a waste of ammunition. Superman merely ignored the gunfire pelting him on the back, and instead focused on digging his fingers into the turret ring before ripping it from the hull and throwing it at the second tank. He put so much force behind the throw that the second tank actually tipped over onto its side.

Superman jumped down off of the tank and realized that the militants were surrounding him now. He merely smirked as they were barking orders at him in a language he didn't speak. He looked for the most highly decorated soldier and began to stalk over towards that man. "You WILL take me to your leader, and will stop what you're doing now." Superman commanded.

The soldiers all looked at him in confusion. All except the lieutenant that he was approaching. "You are violating the peace treaty." The lieutenant stated in English.

"Peace?" Superman questioned rhetorically. "You call this peace? No, I'm not the one that broke the treaty, you and your superiors are by how you are attacking innocent civilians. Well that ends now." Superman grabbed the lieutenant by his shirt, lifting him off the ground before he continued. "I'm here to negotiate a new treaty. One that has repercussions for when your side breaks it."

"Colonial Rumaan Harjavti will not sign such a treaty." The lieutenant stated still somewhat defiantly. "He will…"

"He will sign or be forced to sign." Superman interrupted. "You have no power this time around. You'll either comply to my renegotiated treaty, or your officials will be dealt with and replaced by someone else that will be more willing to comply."

"You, you can't do that!" The lieutenant exclaimed.

"Who's going to stop me?" Superman asked before staring directly in the lieutenant's eyes, showing just how serious he was.

"Th….This isn't like you." The lieutenant shakily stated. "I…I will not help you in your quest."

"I'm done holding back when I know that something can be done to better this world." Superman replied. "And you'll either help me, or I'll dispose of you and your men until I find someone that will take me to Harjavti."

The lieutenant was cowering in fear. If Superman wasn't holding him up off his feet, he'd have been curled into the fetal position by now. Superman briefly wondered if this was how Bruce felt when he interrogated someone. Then he realized that it would only be a matter of time before the League responded in kind to his breaking of the peace treaty. That was some of what was wrong with this world. This supposed peace treaty did nothing to keep the peace, and instead kept those who could maintain that peace and order remained intact could be there to ensure that it was done. Well, no more sitting by letting bureaucracy hinder his ability to help the innocent and punish those that deserved to be punished for infringing upon another's right to peace and prosperity.

To help get his point across that he meant business, Superman used his heat vision on the fuel tanks of each vehicle that the militants had around him. Within seconds, his opposition was now without vehicles, and the men all dropped their weapons as soon as Superman altered his focus to each militant. The lieutenant still being held in Superman's grip screamed for someone to help him get free as well, but those words fell upon deaf ears. No one wanted to challenge Superman as he didn't seem to be in any mood to be deterred from his goals. Soon he shot up into the sky, and only the sound of his passenger's blood curdling scream could be made out. Suddenly Superman halted a couple miles above the surface when he stretched his arm out straight that held the lieutenant there with him. "Last chance." Superman offered. "Show me where to find Harjavti, or I drop you hear."

Superman began to slowly relax his fingers, and the lieutenant scraped and clawed on Superman's arms as he sought a safe place to cling to that would prevent him from falling to his death. "From this height, I could take you and slam the both of us into the ground and I'd be fine, but you, well you certainly wouldn't survive. So please, go ahead and feel safe holding onto me."

Superman began to plummet back down to the Earth as the lieutenant once again screamed aloud. They'd made it about half way back down to the Earth when he regained his voice. "OK!" He yelled. I'll talk! I'll talk! Just please, don't let me die."

"Your life for your Colonial's reign." Superman said as he trailed off from the rapid fall. "But if you for a second try to deceive me, you'll never get another chance, and I won't stop the next time. That I can promise you."

~~ Inside the Javelin ~~

Batman had pulled out of the rapid drop maneuver that he performed, to the delight of everyone that wanted to keep their lunches inside their stomachs. Hal of course wanted to try the maneuver himself as it had no effect on him whatsoever. They were already inside Bialya airspace after just fifteen minutes of flying, and Batman was seeking out the best location to land. Their radio had been surprisingly silent, as Batman had anticipated being confronted with heavy opposition from the moment that they were spotted, but not a single fighter jet had even been in the same air space. "What's going on here?" Flash asked. "I thought this was supposed to be a hostile country."

"As did the rest of us." J'onn replied.

"I'm taking us down just outside the capital." Batman stated. "We need to find some answers, quickly. Then finding Superman and bringing him home becomes priority one."

They landed the Javelin just outside the capital city as Batman had informed the rest of the team that he would. Cautiously, they exited the Javelin, still not knowing what to expect or when they might be confronted. The buildings around the city were still smoldering from the last battle that had taken place around the city, but aside from abandoned jeeps and tanks, there were no signs of aggression. Without giving any words, Batman pointed everyone into a direction that would eventually lead them all up to the palace where Colonial Harjavti would be holed up in securely. Batman had Diana with him to go up through the middle as the other members snuck around to the side to help infiltrate. It was when Diana was able to simply push the palace doors open with minimal effort that the realized all the guards had either been subdued, or were missing entirely. Soon all of the League members were in the throne room, and none of them had even received a second glance, much less opposition for just being there inside the country's borders. "I don't understand." Hawkgirl called out. "Where is everyone?"

"B, this is Oracle." Batman was stopped from responding as Barbara's voice filled his ear."

Batman reached his hand up next to the communicator and answered the hail request as the League members waited. Batman stood there silently as he listened to what Oracle had contacted him about. "Are you sure?" He asked before walking over towards a monitor that remained in the palace. "Understood. Batman out." He said before turning on the TV and changing to the channel that Barbara had just indicated. On the TV screen was none other than Superman, holding with him Colonial Harjavti, who looked to be fearful for his own life. Batman immediately issued an override command that none of the other League members recognized, and soon afterwards he was establishing a link with Superman. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing Clark?" He asked, not caring about using Superman's alter ego.

"Something I should have done a long time ago." Superman answered. "I'm not going to sit by any longer when innocent lives are at stake. No more."

"Don't do this Clark." Batman attempted to negotiate. "You can't change the past, but that doesn't mean that you have to repeat your mistakes."

"You know something Bruce, you're absolutely right." Superman stated in agreement, although Batman knew better than to think that he was actually going to listen to reason. Sure enough, when it came to finding out what Clark had meant with his response, Bruce had never wished more than at this moment that he were wrong.

"Superman, Superman!" A reporter hollered as the camera focused on the Man of Steel. "Who gave the order to intervene, breaking the boundaries of the previous treaty?"

"No one did." Superman answered. "The decision was mine, and mine alone. Not even the Justice League was aware of the choice that I made today to protect innocent lives no matter what documentation is in the way."

"So are you saying that you plan to intervene from now on?" Another reporter chimed in.

"I'm saying that for too long I've hidden behind a false form of justice where bureaucracy comes first and lives come in a distant second, and I'll not sit by and allow this anymore." Superman explained.

"What made you decide to change your stance on this topic?" The first reporter asked. "Did it have anything to do with the reports that you are responsible for the infamous Joker's death?"

"Let me explain myself so that I can be succinctly clear to everyone." Superman started. "As for the Joker, I am responsible for his death, and I accept that. I believe wholeheartedly though, that had I not stepped in and put an end to that monster's life, then he would surely have found another way to escape and kill again. Eight million lives were too much for one man to take just because he enjoyed it. The Joker was evil, and there's no room for a peaceful world if a man as evil as the Joker is allowed to be a part of it. As for what's changed…when I was watching all of the innocent people being attacked by their own leaders that was the last straw. While the United States is one of the best countries this world has to offer, it is still far too flawed in its version of justice. I'm seeking to change that and to one day in the near future bring about a peace the likes of which this world could only dream of before. I ask that the world's leaders step aside and focus on refining their justice systems so that the evil of this world is not accepted any longer under any circumstance. I intend to stand in for any injustice the world can offer until this is done. I vow that what happened in Metropolis won't ever happen again. I also promise that any men or women like the Joker will be dealt with in kind until this world can finally rest easy."

"What about your fellow Justice League teammates?" A third reporter asked. "What will their role be?"

"My friends and colleagues are more than welcome to join me in this mission for peace." Superman answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a new treaty to negotiate with the Colonial. One that will call for his immediate resignation upon signing it. No one man that is so willing to punish the innocent should be permitted to remain in power. I'll be scheduling a press conference in three days time to lay out my intentions in full."

That comment brought about cheers from the mass of press that had grown to surround Superman. Batman shut the television off as the news report returned to its local studio. He turned and looked at the members of the Justice League that he was standing with, and he was greatly disappointed in what he saw before him. Almost all of them seemed to believe that Superman was right in his actions. They couldn't see the Pandora's Box that was opening right before their very eyes. Superman would do some good at first, but then as he continued on, how far would he go? He was already willing to take a life, and from his own words, he had come to terms with that already. If Bruce had to guess, then based off what he heard from his friend, Superman would be willing to kill again in the name of his version of justice. Eventually he'd be no better than the Joker, and they couldn't see it. Batman had nothing to say to any of them at that point, and he pressed a button on his belt signaling for the Batwing to track his location for pick up. It would be a couple of hours, but he honestly needed the time to himself in order to let his mind go through all the scenarios that the world was about to encounter thanks to who would be known as the man that used to be the world's greatest champion. He walked right through the group of League members and out of the palace without saying a single word to any of them.

Diana watched as Batman basically stormed out of the throne room. She didn't see why he seemed to be so frustrated. Just looking around at where they were standing in what was just mere hours ago a hostile and violent country had been calmed considerably by a stronger stance from Kal. Surely that had to be a good thing if such a stance could immediately cease the fighting within a hostile country. The Colonial was indeed a greedy man, and had allowed that greed and power to corrupt him into becoming an evil dictator. She stayed with the rest of the team, knowing full well that Bruce wanted to be left alone. So she joined in on the conversation with Hal, Hawkgirl, Shazam, and Barry. J'onn departed soon after Bruce, but everyone assumed that he went out to offer help in calming the heated emotions running through the Dark Knight. The group eventually dispersed, taking their time putting out any lingering fires and reveling in the quiet peace like nature of Bialya's capital city as they headed back to the Javelin. It was there that Diana became slightly concerned when only J'onn was waiting for them. "Where's Batman?" She asked the Martian.

"He will not be returning to the Watchtower." J'onn replied.

"Don't be ridiculous." She responded to that answer. "He can't stay in this country to brood."

"He left this for you Diana." J'onn said as he pulled out a note and handed it to her. Batman had him read it so that he would be aware of what was going on before it was sealed and he left on the Batwing. She stood beside J'onn as Hal reached for the controls to take them back to the Watchtower.

_Diana,_

_I know this will seem abrupt and unexpected, but I cannot go down the path that Superman is heading. My hope is that you will understand and choose not to follow as it is a path that will only end in disaster, and also will see the League turn from heroes to villains. I am going to continue protecting my city as I always have before, but this will be my last act as a member of the Justice League. I saw the looks on all of your faces, and believe that at the very least a majority of you will join Clark in his misguided quest for peace. Leave Gotham to me. Superman's League can have the rest of the world for all I care, but Gotham is mine, and I won't give it up. Not even to Clark. I will always love you Diana, and I want to be certain that you know that._

_B_

Diana's eyes began to well up after she finished the letter. She turned away and headed to the back of the Javelin, refusing to let her tears fall in view of anyone. She couldn't believe that Bruce would give in so quickly without even really speaking to Kal. The League wouldn't be as formidable without its field general when trouble arose, but then again, she should've known that something like this would happen eventually. All it would take would be for someone to kill on the Justice League and Bruce would be gone forever from the team. She just couldn't believe that day had already come. What would it do to their personal relationship? She knew that Bruce loved her, and she loved him. She didn't want to lose him even if she did believe in Kal's words and goals that he'd proposed on the breaking news report. The letter was proof that Bruce didn't want to lose her as well. If not for their relationship, he would've just informed J'onn that he resigned and left without another word. That gave her a glimmer of hope, and she decided that she would visit the Manor as soon as she could so that she and Bruce could discuss things between the two of them.

~~ Watchtower ~~

When the Javelin had been properly docked in the hanger bay, the occupants all filed their way outside of the jet. Diana was anxious to get down to see Bruce, but she stopped dead in her tracks along with the rest of the group upon seeing the man standing before them at the hanger bay entrance. Superman was standing there leaning against the door frame with his thick arms folded across his chest. He held a serious demeanor about him as he stood there. "Nice press conference Superman." Hawkgirl said to break the ice.

"What brings you up here my friend?" J'onn asked.

"Actually I came here to speak to the founding members before I address the rest of the League." Superman explained as he took note of who was and wasn't present. "Is Batman coming up, or should we make contact with him and ask for his presence?"

"Batman has…"

"Batman will not be in attendance even if you call for him." Diana jumped in interrupting J'onn. She knew that the Martian was about to inform Kal of Bruce's resignation, but she still held out hope that she could convince him to come back, and just needed a little extra time to talk things through with him. J'onn turned his head quickly when he was interrupted. He was surprised that Diana had chosen to keep such a secret, and thought about probing her mind for the answers, but decided against it. Diana had never done anything to warrant suspicion from him. He instead followed Superman and the others to the conference room where Superman started to describe his intentions.

J'onn sat quietly in his seat as he listened to Superman's plans as he detailed how the world's leaders seemed to only become corrupt, and that they all needed to have a fail safe, which he intended to be. At first he just wanted to weed out the leaders that had already become corrupt and remove them from their powered positions, but then he started to describe going further, making sure that no one would have to worry about being attacked or mugged, and how he intended to punish all the criminals and give them a taste of true justice. J'onn had to admit that initially, Superman's ambitions and plans were intriguing at the very least, but flawed. Batman had seen through the flaws almost immediately, and wanted nothing to do with it. That was why he handed in his resignation on this day. Superman would eventually become too powerful, and when that happened he'd turn into the very thing that he planned to remove initially. A corrupt and powerful dictator. When it became clear that Superman was ending his meeting, J'onn stood up. "I too have an announcement to make." He stated as everyone turned their attention to him. "I have decided that its time that I take another sabbatical so that I can maintain my connection with the human race."

Talk about poor timing." Hal muttered to Shayera, earning him an elbow to the ribs.

"I'm sure you will be fine." J'onn replied. "Superman has returned, and I believe that will more than offset what qualities I can offer the League. I shall return when the time is right."

"Are you sure you have to go now?" Shayera asked.

J'onn only offered a nod as a response before he started to make his way out of the conference room.

"J'onn wait!" Superman called out before coming around the table to stand in front of his Martian compatriot. "Why now? Couldn't it wait until after things have settled down first? I could really use your help with this."

J'onn laid a hand on Superman's shoulder, offering comfort. "I'm afraid so my friend." He answered, and then turned on his heels and walked out of the room and into the empty hallway that led to the teleporter.

The meeting ended on a sour note as J'onn was once again leaving the League to recharge his batteries. Superman followed Diana out and chased her down as she was marching quickly over to the teleporters herself. When she reached the doorway, he was finally within arms reach to stop her. "Where are you headed in such a hurry Diana?" He asked. "I was thinking that we could catch up."

"I need to go down and speak with Bruce, Kal." Diana answered as she moved over to the control console.

"Okay, I'll go with you." Superman stated.

"I'm not sure that would be such a good idea." She replied.

"Why's that Di?" He asked. "Will Bruce threaten to use Kryptonite on me if I don't leave?"

Diana thought for a second that what Kal had suggested could very well become a reality. Superman didn't give her much time to answer. "Well, regardless, I need to know if he's going to help with the cause that I want to establish. Maybe even the other members of his Batclan too if their interested and ready." Superman said.

"This is not going to go well Kal." She said trying to change his mind. "Especially if you ask for his sons to join. You know how protective he is when it comes to them."

"Fair enough I suppose, but I'm still going to go down." Superman stated defiantly as he stepped onto the teleporter pad. "I need to know where Bruce stands."

Diana sighed in defeat. She knew that her uphill battle to get Bruce to reason with her was quickly turning into a mountain. She finished inputting the codes and joined Superman on the teleportation pad, and within seconds they both disappeared in a blinding white light.

~~ Batcave ~~

"I said no, and that's the end of it." Bruce barked. "Now drop it."

"Come on father, you should know me better than that." Damien stated as he pushed up from his seated position on the railing that ran along the computer area steps within the cave. "I agree with Superman. The Joker deserved to die, and the world is a far better place without that demented clown than with him in it."

"It all sounds fine Damien, but when does it end?" Bruce asked in return. "Can he even see the end, and will he be able to stop himself if and when he gets there. He's already taken the Kents and hid them away so that no one can take them from him. He doesn't even realize that he's basically killed them by his own actions, not allowing them to live their lives. Clark's not a God, Damien, and he needs to realize that."

"Whatever _dad._" Damien responded. "I think you're just jealous that he ended the clown and you never could or would."

"What the hell is going on here?" Came the voice of Dick as he was walking down from the cave entrance. "Is the heir apparent getting himself into hot water again?"

"Just a difference of opinion Dick." Bruce responded as he wanted the topic of conversation to just come to an end.

"Father disagrees with what Superman's actions have caused." Damien explained. "I think he's made impressive strides already."

"We're not joining with Clark." Bruce stated loudly in a manner that brooked no room for argument.

"I agree with you Bruce." Dick replied. "He's already gone too far, and he's going to push even further if someone can't get through to him. How many Justice League members are with you?"

"No one yet." Bruce answered. "Perhaps J'onn. He knows firsthand how power can corrupt and destroy worlds."

"Not very good odds." Dick surmised. "Maybe I can reach out to some Titans and reason with them."

Just then, the sensors picked up and alerted them to unexpected visitors teleporting into the cave. Dick and Damien stood off to each side of Bruce, ready to engage if it turned out to be a hostile arrival, but they both relaxed when they saw that it was Diana and Clark that appeared on the transport pad. Bruce however became increasingly rigid. Dick and Damien could plainly hear the sounds of his gauntlet covered hands as they clenched tightly into fists. "What the hell are you doing here Kent?" Bruce seethed.

"Good to see you too." Clark responded. "I came for a couple of reasons, although from the looks of things, I must not have cracked your head too hard in the FBI building a few weeks ago. Secondly, I was hoping to get your allegiance regarding my cause initiative. What do you say Bruce?"

Bruce walked up to the two super powered Meta's with his cape drawn tightly around him. He had his hand at the ready in case he needed to pull out the slither of radiated rock. Damien and Dick walked behind Bruce as he approached Clark and Diana. She was hanging back with her head slightly hung low as Superman was driving home why he had come. He wanted Batman to join his band and help destroy this world. Well last he'd checked, hell had yet to freeze over. "I'll be where I've always been Clark." Bruce stated. "And that's not going to change for anyone."

Clark frowned upon hearing that response. It wasn't a flat out denial, but it may as well have been. That slightly altered his initial plans, but no one needed to know that at the moment. "I'm sorry that you feel that way Bruce." He said. "Maybe in time you'll change your mind."

"Maybe in time you'll see the error of the direction you're heading too Clark." Bruce fired back, defiant to the end if he had to be.

"You should watch the press conference that I've scheduled for tomorrow Bruce." Clark suggested. "Perhaps once you've heard all my intentions, you'll change your mind. This could be something special Bruce, and I'll leave the door open in case you do decide to change your mind."

Clark then turned on his heels and headed back for the teleporter. Bruce finally allowed his hand to leave the Kryptonite storage compartment on his belt, but his eyes never left Clark until he disappeared into the blinding light of the teleporter once again. It was only then that Bruce moved his focus to his other unexpected guest. Under normal circumstances he'd be thrilled to see her there, but he knew deep down that Diana agreed with what Clark had done and was going to continue to do. And that line of thought had Bruce confused as to what would become of Diana and his relationship. It was something that he'd always feared, letting her in only to lose her, and he was wondering if it was already happening to him. "So, you didn't tell him that I resigned yet." He stated. It wasn't a question.

"No Bruce." Diana confirmed. "I didn't plan on Kal coming down with me either. When he found out that I was coming here he insisted that he come. Kal really believes that what he's going to do is best for this world."

"Then he's a fool." Bruce snapped as he walked away and headed towards the training area. He felt the overwhelming urge to vent some frustration brought on by Clark's visit. Diana followed closely behind. At least he was talking to her still, so there was still hope that they could come to some form of compromise. Dick and Damien watched as the other two passed by. After a few moments, Damien started to follow as well until Dick grabbed him by the shoulder.

"I don't think now's the time for an audience." He said.

"Why not?" Damien asked. "Watching father spar with the Amazon should be entertaining."

"Because I doubt it'll end up as sparring kid." Dick suggested.

Damien turned his head in the direction of Bruce and Diana, looking for what Dick could be referring to. Sure Diana was attractive, but she wasn't his mother, and even though the relationship had always been strained at the best of times, Damien knew that his mother loved his father, and he believed that his father held a special place in his heart for his mother as well. In his opinion, Diana simply couldn't come close to the bond that his mother and father shared. Damien pulled out of Dick's hold and giving a cold glare to his older adopted brother. He never liked letting Dick control what he did, and headed to the cave entrance so that he could return to the Manor.

When Diana and Bruce were in the training room, he marched over to the heavy punching bag and began to pound on the defenseless bag. Diana silently stood at the other side, holding the bag for him so that he could unleash any fury on it that he wished to. They stayed that way for five minutes as Bruce never ceased or slowed in his attack on the punching bag. Finally he wasn't seeing red anymore and came to a stop, his chest heaving from the amount of exertion he'd just put forth. "What… are you….doing here?" He asked between breaths.

"I came to try and negotiate changing your stance on your resignation." She answered. "I believe that Kal is going to make a difference this time, and I want to help him with his vision of how the world could be. It just doesn't seem possible with keeping the status quo of the way things are done now."

The status quo isn't the answer, but neither is _Kal's_ approach." Bruce responded.

"How can you be so certain Bruce?" Diana asked.

"Because I can see where it will end up." He replied. "At first, everything will be fine. Zero tolerance against the highest profile criminals, and Clark will inevitably return to executing them, but in the end he's looking for something that he can never attain."

"And what specifically is that?" Diana asked as she placed her hands on her hips, taking a slightly more aggressive stance.

"No matter what he does, there will always be those desperate enough to commit crimes including murder. " Bruce explained. "What's he going to do when it's the petty level criminals that take things a little too far? What's going to happen when the world isn't perfect in his opinion? When will it ever be enough? He got a free pass on his own actions Diana. When does he atone for his actions, or is he going to be above the law?"

"You don't actually believe that do you?" Diana asked in exasperation.

"I don't know Diana." Bruce confided before turning to walk away. She reached around and grabbed him by the arm, stopping him from going any further.

"Then what's to become of us?" She asked. "I intend to stand beside Kal to see if we can actually change the world for the better. I know that some difficult choices need to be made, but in the end I believe that what we will be doing will be for the betterment of the world. I've seen for far too long that those who have power over others in this world only seek their own benefit, and will use violence to achieve their goals. Kal's plans would put a stop to that. It already has helped with Bialya as the fighting has almost stopped entirely."

"I'm not going to join in with Clark's intentions Diana, I'm sorry but I won't." Bruce responded. "I don't want to lose you, really I don't, but eventually there will be come a time where one of those choices will concern our personal lives, and the choice will be straight forward Diana. If I'm wrong, the choice will be mine, but when I'm right and Clark assumes too much control, the choice will be yours."


	5. Chapter 5: Trespassing

Superman begins to push for control

Chapter 5: Trespassing

* * *

Diana woke up the following morning wondering how things had progressed to where she was currently at. She never would've expected that Bruce would let her stay, let alone ask if she was going to after their rather heated discussion about Kal. In the end they had stopped arguing with each other as neither one was waving. The only common ground was that neither of them wanted their budding relationship to end. Knowing that seemed to cause the tension to ease enough where Bruce left it be in order to focus on Gotham for the rest of the evening, and Diana was chose to stay there with Bruce and help him as he researched various leads to still opened cases.

Clearing her mind of the happenings of that evening, she stretched her arms above her as she laid there in the soft and cozy bed. Before she dropped her arms back down to her sides, she was interrupted by the feel of a well defined muscular arm sliding across her midsection as Bruce had just rolled onto his side and latched onto her pulling her body closer to him. She looked over to find that he was still asleep, and his body seemed to be merely responding to having her next to him. It warmed her heart to experience something so simplistic in nature. Bruce wasn't even thinking anything at that moment and yet he still seemed to yearn and reach for contact with her. A smile grew on her face as she rolled into his grasp to face him, before gently kissing him on the tip of his nose.

Bruce wrinkled his face from the slight tickling sensation Diana's kiss caused as he woke up, opening his eyes to the vision of Diana lying in his grasp right in front of him. Last night had a much better ending than beginning for him as well. He had almost expected that when Diana hadn't budged on wanting to continue moving forward with Superman's plans, that it would be the abrupt ending to what had just gotten started between the two of them. To his surprise, Diana just stopped arguing about it, and after some silence in the cave, she instead began to work alongside him as he went over some case files.

After some time focusing on productive items instead of what Superman was up to, their frustration towards each other's stubbornness subsided, and both found that they only wanted to be with the other. So Bruce closed the last of his files and led Diana up into the Manor where they found that Alfred had already prepared a quiet dinner setting for two in the library. They were met with a crackling fire and candles lit around two plates that were set down on a small coffee table that also held their meals under a large silver catering dome. Bruce and Diana sat next to each other at the nearest couch just in front of the table as they ate while enjoying some small talk about nothing in particular. When dinner was finished, they curled up together and just laid together on the couch, silently watching the fire as it crackled and added light to the room as the sun had set beyond the horizon of the Manor grounds. Neither one wanted to say a thing as they were both slightly worried that doing so would end this moment together, so they continued to lay there as Bruce absentmindedly ran his fingers through Diana's soft as silk raven colored hair while at the very same time Diana was tracing her finger aimlessly across the side of Bruce's chest that was not being used as a pillow. She could clearly feel the sinewy muscles even through the soft cashmere shirt. She knew that she should head back up to the Watchtower, but held no such desire to do so. Glancing over at a clock, she also realized that Bruce hadn't even made a move to head down to the cave, and looked up to see him watching her intently. It was as if he was drinking in this moment together as much as possible, and that caused her to decide that there was no way she'd be going anywhere unless it was with Bruce. To show him how she felt at that moment, she sat up on the couch and pulled him up to a seated position as well before standing and leading him out of the library to the master bedroom.

The rest of the night was filled with passionate love making. It was never aggressive or rough at all the entire night. Bruce seemed to want to please Diana with such an overwhelming satiation, as he devoted all his attention to pleasing her, causing Diana to climax again and again repeatedly for what at times felt to her like it would be never ending. It was so intense that she accidentally ripped clumps of mattress apart, and once actually ripped a mattress spring completely out. When he'd finally matched her with a climax of his own, it was then that she realized all the damage she'd caused, her face turned a bright shade of red showing her embarrassment, but Bruce just chuckled and pointed out that they'd just have to sleep closer to each other since the mattress area was smaller now. That seemed to be the right thing to say as Diana instantly smiled and snuggled into him, breathing in his scent deeply. They somehow just knew that each of them would remember this night for years to come.

In the morning after enjoying the view of Diana there in his arms, Bruce eventually rolled over to momentarily look at the clock, and seeing that it was no longer morning, but early afternoon. Aside from the slight muscle cramping from that night's activities, Bruce felt almost rejuvenated. Seeing Diana in front of him was also therapeutic as he'd not lost what was quickly becoming one of the most important parts of his life. Even in this state of bliss that Bruce found himself in, his mind couldn't help but to start racing about how difficult it would likely become for the relationship to survive the ripples in the water that had been caused and could potentially be turning into tidal waves of change depending on just how far Superman was willing to go to achieve his goals. Bruce tried to force himself not to think in that way as he just wanted to soak in every second of this moment that he was sharing with Diana before the real world would come calling them back. "Good afternoon." He said with a smile as he fought off his body's request to yawn and stretch.

"Yes, it is." Diana confirmed.

"How long have you been up?" Bruce asked.

"Only a few minutes before you woke up." She answered with a mischievous smile. "You know you're quite cute when you're asleep."

Bruce smiled a genuine smile as he moved even closer to Diana until his lips were grazing against hers ever so softly. Diana was quick to deepen the kiss as she had already fully recovered from last night's activities thanks to her Meta healing abilities, but any foreplay interrupted by a knock on the bedroom door. Bruce growled when Diana captured and tugged on his bottom lip just before she ended the kiss and sat up, where she grabbed a robe at the end of the bed. She stood up and quickly tied the robe around her waist while walking over to the master bathroom and closing the door behind her. Once the door was shut, Bruce called out to the unwanted guest behind the door. "What is it?"

The master bedroom door opened and Alfred slipped in quietly. "I'm terribly sorry sir, but Superman's press conference will be taking place in the next two hours." He explained as his reason of interrupting.

"Its alright Alfred." Bruce said as he took the cup of coffee that Alfred had produced from seemingly out of nowhere and took a generous sip. "Reality had to come back to us eventually."

"It is a shame that you and Miss Diana can't just abscond to some uninhabited island and live out the rest of your days away from the many transgressions and stresses of this world." Alfred stated as he also supplied the newspaper with the headline and front page photo being about Superman and his anticipated press conference.

"Unfortunately that's not a possibility Alfred." Bruce responded as he briefly scanned through the article that was speculating on what to expect from the planet's greatest champion.

"Will Miss Diana be staying for a time sir?" He asked with a sliver of hope in his tone of voice.

"I think you should expect to see her here." Bruce said while gesturing to a spot next to Superman in the picture. "She thinks his ideas are full of well intentions and that makes it worth seeing them through, at least for now."

"But you don't." Alfred stated. He knew his surrogate son well enough to not have to ask the question.

"No. I don't." He confirmed as he stood up while pulling his own robe over his body.

~~ Superman's Press Conference ~~

Bruce had managed to find his way into the middle of the crowd without being noticed all that much. He was dressed down slightly more than usual and covered himself well with a light tan trench coat. Sure enough Diana had proven him right as she was standing there next to Clark on his left side. Hal Jordan stood to Clark's right as well while the rest of the Founders stood behind those three. Bruce wondered just how much that Clark had disclosed to the others about the details behind his plans, but he was sure he'd find out soon enough as the meeting began right on time.

"I'd like to start off by thanking my fellow Justice League teammates for standing with me to see this dream become a reality." Superman started. "I know that the transition period will be bumpy and filled with missteps along the way, but I believe that the end results will be well worth the growing pains in the beginning as we work to improve this world for all mankind."

"What do you plan to do specifically?" One reporter shouted as Superman paused to take a breath.

"First and foremost, I'd like to make a statement before I answer any questions. Superman responded before continuing on. "I scheduled this press conference to let the public know just how serious I am about marching down this path that I've chosen. For years I've held back instead of doing everything in my power to rid this world of the evils and the many unjust transgressions that have occurred simply because I held back. I was doing this because of an irrational and false sense of necessity in adhering to certain rules or laws that were created by corrupt government officials and lawyers because it was believed then that this was the best thing to do. Instead everyone should've been interested in what was the _right _thing to do. No one ever questioned it enough to force any real change. I'd even fashioned myself with an identity to help keep me honest about how the world around me works. After what I have seen and being through, I've finally realized just how wrong I was to act in this way. Going forward, I intend to question the way things are done and if I need to, then I will force them to change for the betterment of this world. I'll do this by using my full power so that those who do wrong are punished for their actions instead of getting off on technicalities. I know now that I have to let go of certain aspects of my former life so that I can apply all of my time where it's been so sorely needed. Therefore I've decided that no longer will I attempt to keep my secret identity as Clark Kent. That name was initially established in order to protect me from any persecution growing up, and I've obviously outgrown the need to hide who I really am from the world. The name Clark Kent is now only going to be known as something of the past. Now, as for your question about my plans, I believe that we as members of the Justice League need to begin with the jail structure and force drastic change." Superman answered. "We're going to start with some of the worst of the worst that seem to be little more than just a revolving door for criminals to waltz in and out of when they please. Therefore I've decided that our first stop will be Arkham Asylum after the conclusion of this press conference. You see, Gotham is a sick city, and the scum at Arkham is the cancer that needs to be removed from there."

Bruce's eyes would've bulged out of his head if they could've. He was flabbergasted from the notion that Clark intended to infringe on his territory. He knew from the look on the other League member's faces that they weren't aware of this part of the plan either, but they didn't reveal any inkling that they intended to question the move either. That was all that Bruce was going to listen to. He wouldn't let Clark storm into the facility and start executing prisoners without a fight, but he knew that he would need to get some help as well. He quickly turned and began making his way through the crowd of reporters so that he could get to Arkham before Superman and formulate the best plan of attack. Once free from the crowd and in his car, Bruce immediately called Dick and instructed him to suit up and get over to the prison. Dick agreed and he wasn't going to just let Clark waltz in and take control of anything that had to do with Gotham either. Bruce traveled as quickly as he could back to the Manor, and upon arriving he was hollering for Alfred and Damien as he went straight to the study for the Batcave entrance. He took only a moment to fire up the computer so that he could continue to monitor the press conference as he went over and changed into the Batsuit. He never had gotten changed into the suit as quickly as he did at this time, and was walking back over to the Cray supercomputer where he was joined by Damien and Alfred. "We have to stop him from doing this." Bruce said to them both.

"But how sir?" Alfred asked.

"Or a better question would be why?" Damien countered as he went for the Robin suit.

"Because no one man should be permitted to hold everyone accountable aside from himself." Bruce answered. "Alfred, get in touch with Barbara and have her contact us ASAP. We're meeting up with Dick at Arkham and discuss our plan from there. Have her contact Green Arrow as well, and make sure that Superman won't be finding Harley. I have a bad feeling that Clark won't be satisfied until he hunts down every person that's been involved with the Joker. She's not going to be safe unless she's hidden away from Superman's reach."

"Yes sir." Alfred replied as he took over the controls at the computer to start making arrangements. Bruce turned on his heel and marched over to the Batwing where he found Damien waiting for him.

"Follow my lead Damien." He ordered. "If you can't do that, then you're not coming."

"As you command father." Damien stated before following Bruce up into the cockpit of the Batwing. Within seconds they were off and Alfred was already speaking with Barbara.

~~ Back at the Press Conference ~~

"Thank you everyone for your time, but I have no more comments to make today, and we have work to do." Superman stated before walking away from the podium to a chorus of questions continuing to be shouted in his direction. He looked over to the two members that stood at his side during the whole press conference and saw a little bit of shock on their faces. "What is it?" He asked.

Hal cleared his throat as he debated how to respond. "It was…quite an ambitious speech Superman." He finally said.

"Arkham?" Diana asked. "Don't you think that will create a conflict with Batman?"

"Only if he wants to harbor and protect criminals like the Joker." Superman responded with a hint of anger clearly evident in his voice.

"Arkham's a part of his city Kal." Diana added. "Regardless of what he does with the inmates, he's not going to like you interfering with his city."

"That's just one of those pieces where I'd held back in the past." Superman countered. "Batman can either get on my side or step aside unless he wants to join them."

Diana flinched internally upon hearing those words come out of his mouth. How far would Kal go if Bruce were to confront him? She knew that Bruce wouldn't simply stand by while Kal attempted to interfere. She waited until they had gotten out of the view of the public and pulled Superman aside. "What do you intend to do if Batman does stand in your way Kal?" She asked.

"If he's that foolish, then I have an idea for a _re-education_ program that I can put him into." Superman suggested. He looked over at Diana for a moment and noticed the increase in her pulse and the slight change in her facial coloring that told him she was feeling a bit apprehensive about this. "Is there something you need to tell me Diana? Is this going to be a problem if Batman does try something stupid?"

"He's been a dear friend for years Kal." Diana said as she wanted to avoid having Kal probe into her personal feelings for Bruce. "It's no different than if he were to say the same things about you. I don't want to see either of you get hurt."

"I understand what you mean Diana, really I do." Superman offered in reassurance. "We're on the same side of the law. Batman's always been the more deliberate in approach when it comes to apprehending criminals; it's just now he's going to have to accept that we're changing our approach to be more direct as well. This won't be about good publicity for the League; it's all about what should be done rather than letting history repeat itself. Until now that's what we've been doing. Even Batman's guilty of it. Look how many times criminals have been brought in by Batman only to be released or they escape. That cycle is what we're going to put a stop to."

Superman took flight heading straight for Gotham with Green Lantern, Shazam, and Hawkgirl following closely behind. Flash took off on a foot race to meet them there from the ground, and Diana stood there for a moment. She knew that Bruce had heard Kal's first destination as she watched him making his exit shortly after that announcement. That was where the reluctance to join Kal had come in for her. She knew that there would be a confrontation, and she wasn't sure what entailed in this "re-education" program that Kal had devised. She took off after the rest of the Justice League, her main objective was to try and keep the peace between Bruce and Kal. She believed that Kal had the best intentions, even if his plan was to be aggressive from the beginning, and wanted to see what would come of it once the plan had taken hold on the world and offered it a real chance at lasting peace. She knew that Bruce didn't believe Kal's approach was a good one at all, and that he was adamantly against it, but it was a change and Bruce didn't handle change very well unless he was at the forefront and had thoroughly investigated the possible outcomes. Kal hadn't shared the intricate details so naturally Bruce would be at the very least apprehensive about it. She knew though now that she had to catch up to the rest of the group though as Bruce would surely be waiting for them at the prison with a well devised plan in place.

~~ Arkham Asylum ~~

Batman was waiting at the main entrance of the Asylum alongside Jim Gordon. He'd had Barbara coordinate with the Commissioner in increasing the security around the facility as Superman was about to become a criminal if he truly intervened as he had stated he'd be doing at his press conference. Damien and Dick were standing by from just inside the Asylum to move in if things became heated. He knew that if the League all followed along with Superman that the orders from the police would be to stand down, but Bruce had no intention of letting Superman just walk in and get his way.

Damien and Dick were leaning against an inner wall in the Asylum. Damien had slumped to the floor out of sheer boredom as the various noises of insanity that penetrated the hallways had not seemed to concern him. Dick meanwhile was standing at the ready, waiting for anything that could happen in this place. "This is exactly why I think we should go along with Superman's ideas." Damien commented to break the boredom up with some conversation.

"Keep telling yourself that kid and maybe you'll convince yourself that it is the right call." Dick responded as he finally relaxed his stance a tad.

"Why are you and Batman so against this?" Damien fired back.

"Haven't you ever heard the phrase _absolute power corrupts absolutely_?" Dick asked as he once again took in his surroundings, looking for anything that could be out of place.

"He's not trying to take absolute power though." Damien argued. "His intentions are to change this world for the better, not to rule it."

"You don't know that." Dick immediately responded. "His plans are to force change using all his power if he has to. Look at it with a more open perspective _Robin_. In order to force a change on the whole world, he's going to have to have total control. It's inevitable."

"You still have a problem with me wearing the Robin suit don't you?" Damien asked. "Don't try denying it, I heard the way you said Robin."

"Maybe I do." Dick admitted. "It doesn't matter though. Batman had the suit and gave you permission to wear it. Seems like a moot point to bring up."

"Are you jealous?" Damien prodded.

"Jealous?" Dick scoffed. "Of you?"

"Well I am the better warrior." Damien added. "Perhaps you're worried that I'm a better Robin than you ever were."

Dick chuckled. "Oh the youth today. They'll never learn."

"I've been trained by the entire League of Assassins as well as my grandfather." Damien pushed. "You were merely a circus act."

"A circus act that was then trained by Batman." Dick countered. "And lest you forget, Batman has beaten your precious League and your delusional grandfather. You may have been trained by the League of Assassins, but I was trained by the absolute best there is."

"Why don't we see who the better warrior is?" Damien suggested.

"Nightwing, Robin." Batman called over the comm. link, interrupting their little debate for the time being. "They're here."

~~ Main gate ~~

"Uh, Batman." Came the voice of Green Arrow over the comm. link immediately after Bruce had contacted Dick and Damien.

"Go ahead, Arrow." Batman responded.

"Harley's escaped custody." Ollie replied.

"What?" Batman practically yelled. "How long?"

"Not long after the press conference with Supes." Ollie answered. "She was cuffed and seemed to be fine with protective custody. I thought she understood that we were only trying to protect her…"

"Get Canary and find her." Batman barked. "Now. Superman's already here. We can't risk him finding her. There's no telling what Superman might do if he finds her."

"Already ahead of you." Ollie responded before closing the line of communication. Batman growled in frustration. This was something that he didn't need on his plate right now. Harley was unpredictable and he couldn't be sure what her thoughts were to cause her to attempt escape when she was safe for the time being.

Batman was forced to put those thoughts aside as Superman landed just in front of the iron gates that greeted anyone that was about to attempt entrance into Arkham. "Superman, this is Commissioner Gordon." James announced from a bullhorn. "Under the laws set forth by the United States, I request that you turn away immediately. You do not have proper authorization for entrance."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Commissioner." Superman stated as he marched forward, using his strength to open the locked gates. At that moment the rest of the League arrived behind him, followed shortly afterwards by Diana. "I've acquiesced to the laws that this government has setup for too long. I'm not going to allow any more innocent blood to be spilt."

"Stand down Jim." Batman said as he stepped out into the spotlight that was following Superman's approach. "That's enough Clark." He stated.

"Batman, I need you to stand aside." Superman requested.

"Not going to happen, Kent." Batman replied. "Gotham is my city and you know that. Get out."

"I'm sorry Batman, but not this time." Superman replied. "Not even for you. Now are you going to let us in peacefully or make us use force?"

"This is wrong Clark." Batman said, refusing to step aside. "What you're doing is lowering yourself to their level. You need to open your eyes."

"I have opened them Batman." Superman countered. "For the first time I'm seeing clearly what needs to be done to fix what's wrong with this world. Believe me when I say that I don't want to do this, but it's the only and I know it is. Now release the prisoners into our custody."

"And what are you going to do if I still say no?" Batman asked, his hands on the compartment containing the Kryptonite.

"I'm asking you as a friend not to do something that we'll both regret." Superman said as he noticed the small movement from under Bruce's cape. "Please, keep your weapons and protocols locked up in that belt of yours."

Batman flipped open the lid to the compartment and reached inside, grabbing the sliver of Kryptonite when Superman reached up and opened a channel on his comm. link. "They're not cooperating. Go ahead and transport down."

A burst of blinding light appeared next to Superman for a few seconds before it faded away to reveal another member of his team. "Cyborg, open the cell doors one by one so that we can retrieve all of the inmates." Superman ordered.

"Stand down Cyborg." Batman commanded.

"Sorry Bats, but I'm with Supes." Cyborg stated as he pulled up a 3D image and began overriding the codes to the Asylum.

"So am I." Came the voice of Damien as he was being followed closely by Dick. Batman watched in shock as his own flesh and blood had chosen to side against him. He wondered for a moment if Dick would do the same until his eldest adopted son came to a halt at his side. Batman was still frozen in shock at the site of his son betraying him and absentmindedly allowed them all to pass him and walk into the Asylum. Dick shook Batman by the shoulders, and that seemed to bring him back to reality as he ran down Superman and the rest of the League. When there, he once again got in front of Superman with Dick at his side, escrima sticks at the ready.

"Vic, what are you doing? Dick asked as he was surprised to see his old teammate standing on opposite of him.

"Sorry Nightwing, but you're on the wrong side of the fence this time." Cyborg said as he continued to work towards gaining access.

"Clark, you shouldn't be here in a place like this." Batman again tried to reason with him. "You're still not thinking straight."

"Of course he is Batman." The voice of one of the inmates proclaimed. Superman turned to see that it was Victor Zsasz smiling at him. "Tell him Superman, tell him how much you enjoyed the feel of murder."

Superman clenched his fists in anger. "Do you have access yet Cyborg?" He seethed. When Cyborg nodded, he continued. "Then open this piece of trash's cell first."

Cyborg did as he was directed, and the cell door slid open allowing Zsasz freedom. Victor took a step out towards the group just before he disappeared from view. Batman realized that Flash had taken off and scooped up Victor for transport to where ever Superman was going to have the criminals held. Then Cyborg turned towards another cell, and began hacking in to access that door as well. "Stand down Cyborg, this is your last warning." Batman threatened. When Cyborg ignored the threat and continued working towards opening the next door, Batman opened the computer panel on his right gauntlet, typed in a few commands and then stood there patiently waiting.. After two seconds, Cyborg stopped moving just before he started convulsing and fell to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Superman yelled at Batman.

"I'm doing what's necessary to get you to leave Clark." Batman fired back staring directly into the Kryptonian's eyes.

"Batman, this is madness." Diana said as she stepped forward. "Cyborg is a respected colleague and is just following orders. Stop this please."

Batman remained still, his eyes focused directly on Superman, seemingly as the ultimate act of defiance. When Diana knew that she wasn't going to get through to Bruce, she looked over to Dick. "Nightwing, Victor is one of your closest friends. You know that he doesn't deserve this."

Dick hesitated for a moment, but then opened up his own computer panel and located the controls for the computer virus that was attacking Cyborg's systems. It took some time, but eventually he was able to override the commands and disable the run commands on the virus.

~~ Main entrance of Arkham ~~

It had started to rain in Gotham City as the night progressed along, and a beat up taxi cab pulled to a stop in front of the Arkham Asylum front gates. There was still one security guard staffed at the gate as the rest had followed Superman and the rest of the League into the facility. It was difficult for the security guard to see just who was in the taxi cab as the rain pelted down unrelentingly. The guard leaned in and knocked on the window, indicating that he wanted the driver to open the door so that he could see just who the visitor was. He never did get to see that person though as he barely had a chance to respond to the sound of glass shattering as a punching glove shot through the side window before connecting on the guard's chin. "Thanks for opening the door for me Stanley." The high pitched voice of Harley stated as she got out of the car and strolled into the building.

Harley found that access to the building was surprisingly light. She had planned to "turn herself in" as soon as she found out that Superman was going to be in the building. She was looking for retribution for Superman killing the love of her life and getting off without any charges against him. She was able to make her way to the security room, where she first checked on where her target was located. She may have been crazy, but she wasn't so delusional that she thought she would be able to do any harm to Superman on her own, and so she went about looking for someone that could potentially do what she couldn't. When she found a good possibility, she reached for the intercom system and used the controls to single out that single cell. "Hey." She said into the microphone. "Yeah you, the big guy…"

Meanwhile tensions had begun to reach a boiling point with Superman and Batman. Most of the others were focused on Cyborg as he recovered from what had been discovered to be a computer virus that Batman had somehow infected him with. Batman and Superman were standing nose to nose; both were visibly anger with the other person. "What the hell were you thinking?" Superman growled.

"What was _I thinking_?" Batman repeated as he began to shake in rage. "Look who's talking Kent. Forcing your ideals on us like some sort of god. Get the hell out of Gotham."

"What are you going to do about it _Batman_?" Superman seethed.

Before Batman could respond, the click of the loud speakers sounded off. "Hey Stupidman." Harley mocked. "I gotta surprise for ya for murderin my Mista J." Another click could be heard, and then all of the cell doors opened up, freeing all of the inmates. The League along with Batman and Nightwing formed a circle to gauge their opposition when the ground seemed to rumble just before a wall exploded revealing Solomon Grundy. He stayed long enough to grab Robin by the head before retreating back into the hole that he'd created.


	6. Chapter 6: A Father's Heartbreak

The Batclan faces tragedy.

Chapter 6: A Father's Heartbreak

* * *

Superman, Wonder Woman, and Nightwing all took off in the direction of Grundy as Batman was caught off guard by Bane and the Riddler. He was furious at not being able to chase them down and help his son as the zombie had stormed off. Taking in his surroundings, Batman could see Green Lantern and Flash battling with Killer Croc while Hawkgirl and Shazam were working to round up the rest of the inmates. The police force and security guards were working furiously to get back control of the facility from Harley so that order could be restored as well. Batman then focused on his opponents and worked quickly to dispatch the Riddler. He had no time for pleasantries, and at the first opportunity, he sent a straight right cross that both broke the Riddler's nose and left him unconscious so that Batman was able to move his sights solely on fighting Bane. While he didn't have full use of the venom, there always had to be a small amount of venom in Bane's system or else he would meet an excruciatingly slow and painful death. Batman worked and created some distance by rolling away before spring boarding up onto his feet and immediately performing a spinning heel kick that found the mark connecting with Bane's chin. Batman then pulled out and threw a bola, which wrapped around Bane as well as the cell door behind him. Risking no chances Batman immediately ran up and connected with a front snap kick that forced the back of Bane's head to ram into the gates of the cell door. The force was enough that it caused Bane to become increasingly groggy as he tried to fight off his body's desire to slip into unconsciousness. With Bane subdued, Batman ran through the hole in the wall after Grundy and his son.

Grundy had managed to make his way quickly down underground in the Asylum basement before Superman caught up to him. Not wanting to accidentally strike Robin had given Grundy the necessary opening he needed to slam into Superman, knocking the Kryptonian through several walls. Diana witnessed that and pulled out her sword so that she could attack Grundy with the intention of attaining Robin's freedom. She thrusted her blade forward, stabbing Grundy in the arm that still held onto Robin by his head, but that only seemed to further enrage the zombie as he delivered a vicious backhand that sent Diana upwards through the ceiling. Grundy then began slamming his free fist into the supports that held up the Asylum when Nightwing attacked, throwing his wing-dings before pulling out his escrima sticks and swinging them at any opening he could find. He used his flexibility to avoid being hit in return as he continued to keep Grundy occupied and hoped to find an opening to get Robin free. Finally though his luck of avoiding the zombie's strikes ran out as he missed with a swing of his escrima sticks, and he was met with a backhand that he only had enough time to partially block. The strike was still powerful enough to have knocked him through walls and cause various broken bones as well as damaged internal organs. Luckily for Dick though Superman had returned and caught him before he made contact with any wall. Setting Dick down, Superman flew straight back into battle with Grundy, slamming his fist upwards, connecting with Grundy's wrist. He then grabbed the thumb of Grundy and pulled back, causing the zombie to finally release Robin.

Once free, Robin was finally able to take a full breath again. He took two deep breaths as he tried to regain his bearings when he saw that Batman had joined them in the basement. Superman had just knocked Grundy down to the ground, and they all thought that the zombie was finished at that point. "You two head back up and get the inmates back into their cells." Batman ordered to Nightwing and Robin. "Grundy's mine."

"He's already down." Superman stated, only to see that the zombie was already beginning to stir. Batman threw a high powered explosive batarang at Grundy, which connected with the zombie's head, the explosion enough to finally incapacitate him. "Superman, you need to get Grundy back into his cell. There are power dampeners there to keep him contained."

Nightwing and Robin had followed Batman's orders, returning to the main floor to help with containment, but Robin wasn't focusing on returning any inmates to their cells. Instead he was enraged and was beating inmates mercilessly as a result. Dick eventually looked back to check on what Damien was doing, and Dick saw him continually beating an inmate that was lying unconscious on the ground. He moved quickly, grabbing hold of Damien's arm as Damien was reaching back to throw another punch. "He's done Robin." Dick stated. "What are you trying to do?"

"Superman's right." Damien replied as he tried to rip his arm away. "These assholes don't deserve any protection and I'm not helping put them back into their cells."

"What's gotten into you?" Dick asked. "This is how a member of the Batclan is supposed to act, especially Robin."

Damien quickly rose up, striking Dick with his free hand, causing Dick to release his hold on Damien. "I've had enough of you telling me what to do!" Damien shouted. "I'm Robin now, so I decide how Robin is supposed to act. If you've got a problem with that then I suggest you just get over it!"

"If you want to be Robin then act like it." Dick responded as he took a defensive stance while rubbing his jaw to help with the unexpected pain he felt from the strike.

"I decide what Robin does now, not you!" Damien shouted back as he attacked Nightwing again. Dick was able to use Damien's momentum against him for a moment as he sidestepped and helped force Damien into a wall. Robin was quick to respond as he threw his expanding Bo staff at Nightwing, who was able to avoid it, but stepped right into a kick to the head from Robin that drove Dick back into the hole leading down to the basement again. Dick was dazed from the strike and wasn't able to right himself before he made contact with the basement floor headfirst. As soon as he saw what he'd done, Damien ran up to the hole, looking down at the fallen Nightwing full of concern. He repelled down next to Dick's body to find that Dick was not responsive at all. It was then that Batman and Superman entered into the basement again after having secured Grundy. Superman had received word from the other League members that the riot had been halted, but before he ordered the continuation of prisoner transports, both Batman and he noticed Damien crouched next to Dick.

"Nightwing!" Batman yelled as he ran over to his adopted son. From their perspective, both Superman and Batman could see the tears streaming down Damien's face. He was murmuring about something being an accident and that he didn't mean for it to happen. Batman quickly realized that the murmurs were about what had become of Dick. "What did you do?" He asked in a scolding voice.

Damien just stood there in silence with his shoulders slumped and his head lowered in shame. While he had attacked Dick, never had he intended to be the cause of Dick's death. Superman silently approached as he watched Bruce cradling the broken body of his adopted son in his arms. This wasn't supposed to happen. Innocent lives were supposed to be saved and no longer taken. Again he'd held back because of Bruce being a friend that had stood against what he'd intended to do. If he hadn't held back and had just forced his way through, Dick's death could've been prevented.

Bruce's mind was replaying the nightmare that he'd lived with for so very long, and it brought about the same feelings of horror and pain that he'd felt all those years ago. Every other hero had heard Batman when he shouted Dick's hero name as it echoed through the Asylum. They all gathered down in the basement to see the scene unfolding of an emotional Batman and Robin at opposite sides of Dick's body. Batman was shaking uncontrollably as he held Dick close to him. They couldn't see any tears freeing themselves out from under the cowl, but they all knew that even the cold Batman would grieve the loss of one of his sons. Diana looked on in horror as she shed a tear for Dick. She hadn't known him very well, but what she did know was that he was beloved and respected amongst all of the heroes. She could see clearly the pain and anguish that Bruce was enduring at this moment. It seemed almost unbearable for him as his body continued to shake. She wanted nothing more than to march right over to him and hold Bruce in her arms, offering him all her strength if he needed it, but she knew that he wouldn't want such a display in front of everyone around. Alfred had been the only one to know about the two of them to this point, and she would respect that as she would make it a priority to meet Bruce at his home so that she could be there for him if he needed her to be.

The silence that was coursing through the halls of the Asylum was deafening to all of them as they stood there watching. Cyborg had been furious about Batman's viral attack on his system, and he had wanted to go after Batman until he saw that Nightwing had fallen. Dick was a good friend to him, and Dick's death had caused any thoughts of retribution to cease immediately. Cyborg knew better than most that Batman and Nightwing would occasionally butt heads with one another, but in the end they loved each other as father and son. Any physical beating would pale in comparison to the emotional beating Batman was experiencing now. No father should have to bury his son.

After what seemed like an eternity, Batman finally rose up still carrying Dick's body. He didn't say a single word as he slowly traipsed through the halls and staircases as he headed for the main exit. The rest of the heroes all stayed behind, shocked by what they'd seen. When Batman reached the building exit, Commissioner Gordon was approaching to see what next steps Batman wanted to take were when he realized that Nightwing had died. He saw the hollow and emotionless face of Batman, and never before had Jim seen such torment before even though he could only see half of Batman's face. "My God, what happened?" Jim asked.

Batman just walked passed his trusted friend in silence as he wasn't registering how to respond. Jim let him go as Batman pushed through the main doors and continued to march out to the outer gate in the pouring rain. Back in the basement, all of the other heroes were still being silent except for Robin, as he was repeatedly murmuring that he was sorry over and over again. Finally Superman broke the silence. "Nightwing's death could've been avoided." He stated as his hands clenched into fists. "We held back because of Batman being a friend and look where that ended."

"We should've restrained Batman and Nightwing instead of allowing them to confront us and try to stop us." Hal added.

"Exactly." Superman confirmed. "We can't allow ourselves to be distracted even if those we stand against are or were our friends."

Diana walked up to Superman leaning in. She was unhappy that Kal had used this to help gain acceptance of his cause. "I don't think now is the time for this." She whispered into his ear. "We've lost a respected comrade, and he deserves the dignity of not being used as a boon for this cause of yours."

Superman agreed as he nodded and leaned in next to her ear. "You're right Di." He stated. "I'll go to the cave to check on him."

Diana was about to stop him so that she could go herself, but Superman had already flown off, leaving the rest of the inmates to be transported. She quickly put Cyborg in charge of that task along with the Flash before she too made her exit, heading for Wayne Manor.

~~ At the Batcave an hour later ~~

Bruce was standing by a medical table that held the body of his son along with Alfred and Barbara. He had removed his cape and cowl, but had still not shed a single tear nor spoken a single word. His mind was racing and filled with guilt for ever having brought Dick into this life. Alfred was trying to remain stoic as ever, but he couldn't hide the emotions from the loss of this young man that he'd come to love as a grandfather would a grandson. He was however standing strong alongside Barbara as she wept against his shoulder. Barbara always had a special place in her heart that belonged to Dick, and she never had allowed herself to believe that he would be gone. She had managed to text Tim Drake, and informed him of Dick's passing so that he would have the chance to be there with the rest of the family as they mourned the loss of a loved one. Tim responded as she would've expected, stating that he'd contact the rest of the Titans to let them know before he returned to Gotham. They all knew that to protect the family, Dick's death would have to be orchestrated on a different timeline from Nightwing's as the news was already beginning to report of the young hero from Bludhaven's passing.

The news reports indicated that Nightwing's death was found to be the result of an accidental death by the term friendly fire, and that no charges were expected. Alfred and Barbara knew that there was more to the story than that, but until Bruce was willing to break his silence, that question would be left unanswered. Bruce raised one of his hands, placing it upon his fallen son's forehead, and finally broke his silence in a somber whisper. "I'm sorry Dick." He said.

Superman arrived to the surprise of Barbara and Alfred, as they turned around in shock while Bruce's expression turned to silent rage. "Bruce." Superman called as he landed before the three of them. "I just came to see how you're holding up and to talk."

Alfred grabbed Barbara by the hand and guided her up the stairs to the Manor. The look he saw on Bruce's face had told him that the cave was not a safe place to be at that moment for anyone. Bruce watched them departing in silence as he tried to reign in his emotions to no avail. He knew that Superman hadn't killed his son, but there was still a part of him that believed some guilt still fell onto Clark as it was his interference that had led to the confrontation at Arkham. Once the entrance door shut, he finally responded through clenched teeth. "What the hell could you possibly say right now that I'd give a damn about Kent?"

Superman held up his hands as he didn't want a confrontation. "Be reasonable Bruce." He said as he tried to diffuse the situation. "I never wanted this to happen, believe me. Dick was a good man and didn't deserve to die tonight."

"Get out!" Batman yelled as he brushed passed Superman. "There's nothing you can say to vindicate yourself from this."

"Now wait just a minute." Superman countered. "The only fault I have in this is that I held back again. If I'd moved you both aside and not hesitated, then none of this would've happened."

"You really are delusional aren't you?" Bruce asked rhetorically. "Harley came to the Asylum because of your actions against the Joker. You murder and get to walk away. She may be insane, but she still cared about that monster. You should've known that something like this could happen. There's no action free of consequence. You chose to take a life, and Dick paid the ultimate price for it. I told you to stay out of Gotham, but because you chose to ignore me, Dick's dead. So much for your grand plan of peace you sanctimonious son of a bitch."

"That's not fair Bruce." Superman said as he followed Bruce away from the medical area.

"Life isn't fair Clark!" Bruce fired back. "You've gotten to learn that firsthand and should know that by…"

Superman backhanded Bruce upon hearing that. He didn't hit him hard, just hard enough to spin Bruce off of his feet. Superman realized what he'd done and immediately regretted it. "Sorry Bruce." He said as he reached out to help Bruce up. "I didn't mean to…."

Bruce interrupted with a fist to the face that rocked Superman unexpectedly. Little did he know that while Bruce was gathering himself on the ground, he also reached for the Kryptonite, preparing to strike Clark in return. The punch staggered Clark as he dropped to one knee before gathering himself. He was beyond shock to see that Bruce had actually pulled out and used the Kryptonite on him. Knowing that Bruce was angered enough to go to such lengths, Clark straightened his posture, standing tall and sure. Kryptonite or not, he wasn't going to let this act stand. He stomped towards Bruce, who was standing tall himself. They were within two steps of each other when Diana suddenly flew in from the cave entrance landing directly in between them with her hands pressed against each man's chest. "What in the name of Hera is going on here?" She demanded.

"Tell that son of a bitch to get out of my cave." Bruce responded.

"He stooped to using Kryptonite against me Diana." Clark spouted as he composed himself.

Diana turned so that she was facing Superman and leaned in closer to him. "Bruce just lost his son Kal." Diana explained through clenched teeth. "If he doesn't want you here right now, then you should respect that. He respected your need for space not that long ago."

Superman's eyes widened upon Diana's words hitting him with realization that she was right. "You're….you're right." He conceded.

Bruce grunted and turned away, heading back to the medical area. Diana stayed there to make sure neither of them was going to continue with their aggressive stance towards the other before she returned her full attention to Superman once again. "Go Kal." She urged. "Let me deal with Bruce for the time being."

"I will Diana, but if Bruce tries anything…."

"He won't Kal, trust me." Diana interrupted. "I'll see you at the Watchtower later."

"Okay Di." Superman said before taking flight and leaving through the Batwing tunnel.

When Superman was out of sight, Diana turned towards Bruce who had stopped by the medical table that was holding Dick. She noticed something off about how Bruce was holding himself as he stood there. She slowly approached, not wanting to have his wrath turning to her for an outlet. She wanted to confirm her suspicion about what was going on with him at that moment. He didn't move a muscle as she stood next to him. She stayed next to him for a few minutes in silence, watching his every move, what little bit he did. She was reasonably sure that what she'd initially noticed had been accurate as she moved in closer and slowly took hold of his right hand that he'd been holding protectively over his left. "Come on Bruce." She suggested. "Let's take a better look at your hand."

Diana gently pulled him over to where she could help him mend his hand. He watched as she gently felt her way over the bones in his left hand. "My son's dead Diana." He lamented.

"I'm so sorry Bruce." She responded. She hated to see him this way. He always seemed to be so overwhelmingly confident that it bordered on arrogance at times. "But you can't do this to yourself. Throwing a punch at Superman wasn't the right thing to do. What were you expecting to be the outcome by doing something like that?"

"I don't know." Bruce answered. "It doesn't matter. Nothing I or anyone else does will bring him back. Just like my parents, I've failed to protect my son."

A tear finally managed to find its way to escape and trail down his cheek before dangling off of his squared jaw. Diana had never before seen Bruce show such emotion. He seemed to have used up all of his resolve when confronting Kal, and had nothing left to hide the raw emotion behind it. Diana was quite concerned as she thought about just how much Bruce was still affected after so many years since the loss of his parents, and she just knew that the loss of his son would amplify that pain and regret. Right now he seemed to be truly broken. She wanted to help him if he'd allow her to, and started that with something small as she finished checking over his hand. He had broken it and it would require having the bones set and wrapped. She fell upon her Amazon training as she worked to make sure that the bones in his hand were in the correct position, and she securely wrapped his hand up.

Bruce watched Diana intently as she took care of his hand. He was caught off guard by her reaction to him as he'd honestly expected her to scold him for how he had treated Clark. He knew that she wouldn't approve of it, but he wasn't concerned with that at the moment. Losing Dick had cost him and dearly so. How much more would he lose in his life? Hadn't he lost enough already? What had he done to deserve such punishment? How much more would he be forced lose? What about Diana? Would she be yet another person that he would inevitably lose? He was terrified by that thought alone. She'd come to mean so much to him in such a small amount of time, and he couldn't bear the thought of it. "I'm glad you're here." He managed to get out as he fought to regain control of his emotions.

"Anything you need Bruce, I'm here for you." Diana responded.

"I just keep hoping this is all some nightmare." Bruce revealed. "That I'm going to wake up and Dick will be just fine even though I know it's not."

"Dick was a good man Bruce, and an honorable warrior." Diana replied. "You should be proud of what he's done."

"Dick was a better man than me." Bruce commented.

"What will you do now?" Diana asked.

"Finish putting plans in motion for his funeral." Bruce answered as he glanced back over to his fallen son. "I still need to protect Alfred and Barbara from reprisals. If anyone finds out that Dick is Nightwing, then it'll only be a matter of time before its discovered that Bruce Wayne is Batman, and then the sharks will start coming in droves looking for more blood to spill. I can't allow that."

Diana saw the look on Bruce's face hadn't changed at all, and she wanted to get him out of the cave and back with his loved ones. She coaxed Bruce into leaving after he stored Dick's body where it would be safe until the announcement of his passing could be made. Then Diana stripped Bruce out of the rest of his suit before leading him out of the cave. They found that Alfred and Barbara were right in the study, waiting on Bruce to appear. When Diana first arrived, she had come straight to the main entrance of the Manor. Alfred and Barbara granted her access and informed her of Bruce and his unexpected guest being in the cave together by themselves, and Diana had told them she would get Superman to leave and bring Bruce up into the Manor. By the time that she'd done this, Tim had already arrived and was sitting across from them. They all saw the wrapping on Bruce's hand, but no one asked what had been the cause of his injury, knowing full well that Bruce could go through destructive tendencies where he would seemingly punish himself. There was no point in probing at this point. Tim stood and approached his mentor, coming to a stop just in front of Bruce and Diana. She had one of Bruce's arms draped around her back as Diana was ready to offer any support that he needed. Bruce took his wrapped hand and placed it onto Tim's shoulder. "Hello Tim." He said quietly. "I'm sorry to have had to call you away."

"Don't worry about it Bruce." Tim responded. "Dick was my brother and family. Family comes first no matter what." They all moved to an area more conducive area where they all could sit down and discuss the next steps necessary to take. Diana was amazed at how well the group worked together. Even Alfred was adding input, although it wasn't hard to see that Dick's death was hitting him incredibly hard. He also had a tinge of alcohol on his breath, Diana thought it most likely to help him calm his nerves. Eventually they had laid out the entire plan of action to taken, deciding that a memorial for Nightwing would be held at the site slated for the new Hall of Justice in new Metropolis to be built. Then in the next few days, there would be a report let out that Bruce's eldest adopted son had tumbled and fallen to his death while on some exotic excursion so that Dick Grayson's friends and family could hold a funeral as well. Dick had many friends, heroes and not that would want to pay their respects.

~~ One week later ~~

The memorial for Nightwing was a special event for different reasons. The main point was that it held a site to mourn for those that cared for and worked alongside Nightwing as a hero. Many different heroes showed up on that day along with a multitude of media outlets. Dick's old team of Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy were there together for the first time in years. While they never spoke much to one another, there were still the fond memories and ultimate respect for the man that was once their leader. Koriand'r had taken it the worst of that group as Dick had held a very unique and special place in her heart. She was the only one that wasn't afraid to hug the stoic Batman that stood where the monument was to be raised. Damien had also shown up to pay his respects as Robin. He had disappeared ever since the incident at Arkham, and looked a little ragged, but otherwise alright. He quickly moved passed Batman, only providing a short handshake and another apology for what had happened before moving back away and vanishing into the crowd of people.

Other non heroes also showed up as well such as Lex Luthor, but he was there mostly for the second reason, which was the coinciding build of Metropolis along with the Hall of Justice and monument. In fact when things began to calm around the makeshift vigil, Lex and Superman stood off to the side conversing with one another out of ear shot from everyone, or so they thought. Batman's mind never stopped working, and he'd kept tabs on Superman's activities even though he hadn't gone out as Batman since the night Dick died. He had an ace up his sleeve to always stay ahead of what was going on as he no longer trusted Superman, and needed to stay ahead in the even that Clark stepped out of line.

Unfortunately for the Dark Knight, there was never much time for a personal life, and if not for Diana, he doubted that he'd even have been functioning well enough to have been here for Dick's memorial. She'd been as helpful as she could in keeping his spirits up, and at the same time made him wonder just how he'd been lucky enough to have her in his life. She was instrumental in helping to keep him strong when he had spent years believing that any type of relationship would make him weak instead. Never before now had he been as relieved to have been proven wrong before, and he knew that he had her and her persistence to thank for it. He only wished that what he had with Diana could continue to grow and strengthen as Bruce believed without a doubt that in the not too distant future he'd need someone of the Amazon princess' strength. If only he knew just how right about that he would be.

The conversation with Lex Luthor and Superman continued off to the side, and no one seemed to notice them at all, which they each preferred anyways. "It was honestly just a stroke of luck that I survived Superman." Lex finished explaining.

"Well, it's good to have someone from Metropolis still alive." Superman commented. "I thought for a time there that I was the only one. Speaking of Metropolis by the way, I was able to get a look at the projected schematics that you helped design for the new city. I like some of the changes that you decided to make."

"I thought it would help to separate the two somewhat, and that separation would be needed for someone such as you and I." Lex explained. "You've made the news circles quite a bit as well. If I've read correctly, the new buildings aren't the only things that will be different than what the city had before is going to be this time around. How are you planning to pull that off?"

"Honestly, I'm not exactly sure right now." Superman admitted. "My goal is to bring peace to the world, and I know that it's going to be difficult, but eventually I'd like to have all guns taken away."

"That's something a good portion of the world would be against." Lex commented. "Especially since guns aren't even the highest cause of death for the world."

"What do you mean?" Superman asked.

"Well, lets say you do manage to take away guns." Lex explained. "There are other things that are harmful to others. What about smoking? Are you eventually going to take that away as well? Second hand smoke has been confirmed as harmful to others around you. Let's think about this for a moment. If you are successful and stop some of the bigger issues for the world, peace is still something that wouldn't happen. You'd have to whittle down to the smaller laws. People could begin to really fear you instead of follow your standard. They may revolt against you. You'd almost need an army on the ground to enforce the level of peace you're talking about."

Superman raised a hand to his chin as he contemplated what Lex had said when an idea hit him. "How far along was Project Icarus, and how much of it did you lose when the city was destroyed?"


	7. Chapter 7: The Formation of Insurgence

Batman is asked to form a team to defend Earth's freedoms.

Chapter 7: The Formation of Insurgence

* * *

Various news reports were filling up almost all of the monitors that the Cray super computer controlled. Each one reflected a different report on some type of situation going on in the world. Tim was simultaneously working on case reports using the last two remaining monitors while switching back and forth between news casts. This was Bruce's first night out on patrol since Dick's funeral had taken place three weeks ago. He'd ignored going out on patrol at all and hadn't even been going down into the cave on most days. It was almost a miracle just to get the man to leave the Manor at all. Alfred hadn't been much help either as he was grieving the loss of Dick just as much as anyone else it seemed. Alfred had spent the first two weeks drinking himself into oblivion each night, and it wasn't until the Manor had run out of hard liquor that he finally put an end to that destructive bad habit. Once he'd had a day without booze, Alfred finally began to function again around the house, but anyone that knew the butler at all could tell he was still greatly affected by the tragedy.

Everything in the Manor had been eerily quiet and dark ever since Dick's death. There was very little conversation being carried, and at night no one would've known if the power was even on or not at the Manor as no lights were turned on at all. Tim then thought back to two nights ago, and how it had been Diana that finally managed to pull everyone out of their doldrums. Her presence always seemed to brighten what ever room she was in, providing a vibrance that no one seemed able to. She was able to reach Alfred first, and then the rest fell like dominoes back into the living world. The following morning, Diana helped Alfred with preparing breakfast. It took only the clanking of a couple pots and pans before he banished her from cooking, but still allowed her to set up the small kitchen table. It had a much more intimate feel about it compared to the dining room table, and that was what everyone needed at that time. Tim and Bruce came into the kitchen next as they were following their noses as well as the sounds of the hustle and bustle that was going on there. Everyone, even Alfred sat down at the table and ate breakfast together. Diana of course was the first to speak, and she shared some of the things that the Justice League had been doing up to that point, which eventually forced some responses out of Bruce as he was still against the change that Superman was attempting to pull off. From that point everything seemed to slowly drift back into the normal routine, which was a good start for the family to begin healing.

It had been odd for Bruce being out on patrol again. Stopping the criminals of Gotham on this night hadn't been as fulfilling as he remembered it being. He knew that things would eventually get back to some form of normal, but right now there was just something missing. Even though they hadn't worked together very often as Dick had grown and moved out on his own, there was still a comforting thought that his son was out on the streets trying to make the world a better place to be. This loss had been particularly tough on him as he'd virtually lost two sons from the whole ordeal. Damien had only stopped by during the memorial and the funeral. Not even Robin had been spotted anywhere. Bruce knew that Damien would be fine, but that didn't offer much comfort as he couldn't understand why his two sons had fought in the first place. Shaking his head to focus on patrol, he came to realize just how quiet it had been on this night. Only one attempted mugging and a break in had occurred so far, and that just wasn't like Gotham. It had been raining quite a bit so far on this night he surmised as a bolt of lightning struck through the sky; revealing all of the shadowed areas of the city for an instant followed by a crack of thunder that rumbled throughout the rooftops. Bruce stood from his squatted position, ready to move on to another area when he changed his mind. He instead reached up to his earpiece and opened a channel to the Batcave. "Tim." Bruce called out.

"Yeah Bruce." Tim replied. "What's up?"

"Report." Bruce responded. "Is there anything going on that I'm not aware of?"

"Mostly just worldwide news is all." Tim answered. "Nothing local that's showing up on the computer."

"I'm going to head back in then." Bruce answered. "The criminals don't seem to be very active tonight. Maybe the weather has deterred them."

"Among other things." Tim added under his breath.

"I'll be back in a….." Bruce started before pausing.

"What's going on Bruce?" Tim asked.

After a couple of minutes of radio silence, Bruce finally responded. "Check that Tim. The Bat signal just lit up. Commissioner Gordon must need something. Batman out." He took aim with his grapnel gun and fired away in the direction of the signal. Gordon must have found something important if he felt that Batman needed to be contacted. He stopped two rooftops short of his destination to check out the area just as he would any other time, but unlike the other times, something was out of place. Commissioner Gordon's body language was completely off. The way that he was pacing was what had caught Batman's attention first. Jim was a trusted friend for Batman, and he wondered just who or what would cause Jim to try drawing Batman out into the open, and as if time were responding to his thoughts, Batman spotted what it was.

Jim continued to pace about the rooftop. He was beginning to wonder if Batman was going to be a no show. He reached for his handkerchief as the rain was playing havoc with his glasses when he spotted something. A tiny red dot had appeared on his white handkerchief caused by a laser pointer. It blinked repeatedly in a pattern for a few moments until it went away completely. That caused a smirk to appear on his face. "You might as well show yourselves." Jim announced. "He already knows you're here."

"How is that possible?" A man from the shadows said as he appeared in front of the Commissioner. "Everyone is in a secure position and I was hidden from sight."

"In my time, I've come to realizing that Batman is possibly one of the most observant and brilliant men this world has to offer." Jim explained. "I tried telling you it was best just to be out on the rooftop alongside me."

"Alright, alright." The man conceded. "Just get him out here so that…."

"So that what?" Batman interrupted from behind the man, causing him to spin quickly around with his hand on his holster.

After viewing the tall and dark shadowy figure of the infamous Batman that had somehow snuck in behind him and was now standing there very ominously in the steady rain, the man finally relaxed and released his hold on his gun. "You know, sneaking up on a secret service agent is a good way to get yourself shot." The man stated. "My name's Smith by the way. Agent Smith."

"Aren't you all?" Batman commented. "Well then, Agent…._Smith_. Why did you have the Commissioner reach out to me?"

"Actually the decision wasn't mine Batman." Smith responded. "This request came from the top. Please, come with me."

Batman followed the secret service agent and Commissioner Gordon into the GCPD building and down through the hallway. Once in the main area, Agent Smith issued an all clear command into a radio, and suddenly the building was consumed by agents running into their assigned positions. Batman's mind instantly began to seek out all available areas of escape if it came down to that being necessary when the Commissioner placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and showed him down to the first floor. Just outside the main doorway, there was a long and black car sitting at the curb. Agent Smith walked out to the car and opened the door. "Please get in Batman." He instructed. "We need to be somewhere more secure."

Batman hesitated for a moment, wondering how much trust he should grant to this Agent _Smith_. By the end of tonight, Batman would have the agent's actual name in the event of any attempted reprisals. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Batman disabled the tracking locator on his suit before joining Agent Smith in the backseat. He'd reactivate it as soon as he stepped out of the car again so that Tim would know where he'd been taken.

Batman sat there quietly as he observed Agent Smith, seated across from him in the back of the limo. Occasionally Agent Smith would respond to various lines of communication that required his command. They traveled through the streets of Gotham in a manner which would never attract attention as anything other than some well funded occupant traveling to a specific destination. Batman remained vigilant in just where they were traveling during the entire trip, looking out the windows occasionally and taking in the visual image that the city offered him as landmarks. After almost half an hour had passed, the limo slowed to a mere crawl. Batman could hear the gravel moving around out from under the four tires as the limo moved closer to a building before finally coming to a stop. Agent Smith again began to bark out orders into his radio, and once he received the all clear, another agent opened the door of the limousine granting the two occupants an exit. Batman stepped out of the car and immediately re-enabled the tracking locator, allowing it to send out readings again as he was led to a small door at the side of the building. Upon entering, he again disabled the tracking locator as he didn't want anyone to know that he'd been sending out any notification about his current location.

When Batman entered the building, he was stopped and checked over for any type of bug or tracking device just as he'd expected and anticipated. Agent Smith walked over to another area of the building that Batman hadn't seen before. He had made it his business to review every building that was within Gotham and this section of the particular building that he'd been taken to did not have that room built into it before. He felt a little uneasy about it until the door opened up to reveal who and what was inside. Batman stood perfectly still, not allowing any surprise to be revealed in his posture. "Mr. President." He stated as the President of the United States approached and stopped just before him, holding out a hand to shake. Batman kept his arms underneath the cape that surrounded his body, seemingly ignoring the friendly gesture. "Why have you reached out to me?"

The President stepped back inside the room without answering, and Agent Smith gestured for Batman to follow, which he warily did. As soon as both men were in the room, the door was shut behind them, and Batman could both see and here the built in features of the room activating, and once everything was finished, it was plain to see that the room had been secured. "This is a special room designed specifically for protection about plans regarding Superman." The President explained. "It's our understanding that he is capable of hearing almost anything, and what needs to be said is not for his ears."

"Go on." Batman responded.

"I'd like to start off by offering my condolences for Nightwing's death." The President started. "The events of that night left us with a staggering reminder of just how influential Superman can be at times. Normally those times we don't have a problem with, but now….Now we can see where he is taking this world. Just look around you." The president pressed a button on the table at the center of the room and screens along each wall came to life showing different reports. "Unfortunately, after Superman had the inmates of Arkham moved, he's begun to flex his muscles for control." He pointed to one monitor as he continued. "Here you can seen that Superman forced Israel and Palestine's leaders to negotiate a peace based on the threat that if they didn't, he would force them to sign his own peace treaty and force them to adhere to it. It appears that he's also got the Justice League taking part as well. Over here you can see that Wonder Woman took out an invasion attempt in Burma. We've also gotten reports of warring tribes of Sudan all being subdued by the former Titan Raven."

Batman looked at each monitor screen closely as he reviewed all of the data. He quickly found that he'd already had access to everything that the President was showing him, and became suspicious. "I know that Superman is overstepping his bounds." Batman stated. "But that still doesn't answer why you came to me."

"The incident at Arkham is why." The President answered. "We know from surveillance footage that you took a stand against Superman, and believe that you could be on our side if or when Superman decides that he wants to take over."

"You think he's going to go that far?" Batman more stated than asked. "If that day comes, it depends on his support whether or not I can do anything. Superman has a weakness to exploit, but if he has the League backing him, there's not much that I can do to stop him."

"Oh you won't be alone." The President chimed in before pressing down another button, which caused another door to open. "Some members of the Justice League still believe in the American way."

"Good to see you again Batman." Captain Atom said as he walked in through the opened door. "I told the president that if anyone had a plan that could be successful against Superman, that you'd be the best bet."

"So you want me to recruit a team in order to combat Superman and his followers in the event that they attempt to take complete control." Batman deduced immediately.

"That's correct Batman." The President confirmed as he handed out a file folder with a list of names that hadn't joined Superman yet based on each individual's own reasoning. "Stealth will be key in this as we don't want to raise Superman's awareness and actually have our actions be the cause of him trying to take control. The question that remains is, can you do it?"

"We'll see." Batman offered as a short answer as he returned the file to the President. He already had his own records and his experience with each person would help him more than anything the government had dug up. "We need to have a better way of communication. This is too risky to keep trying it using things like the Bat signal and traveling across the city by cavalcade. Eventually Superman will become aware of this."

"What do you suggest?" The President asked.

"I'll be in touch with Captain Atom when I come up with something more secure." Batman answered. "For now, no contact." Batman then marched over to the door he'd entered from before and stopped as he reached for the door handle. "Don't use Jim Gordon to reach out to me again. There's no reason for a good and innocent man like him to be punished on account of what we're about to do." He said from over his shoulder before opening the door and exiting.

The President looked over at the monitors for a moment before turning to face Captain Atom. "I hope you're right about him." The President said. "This could be a massacre if we do reveal ourselves to be up against Superman."

~~ Arrow Cave ~~

"What's the matter birdie?" Harley Quinn asked in a mocking tone. "You're not jealous that your _boyfriend_ is keeping me here in his Quiver are ya?"

"It's the Arrow Cave." Green Arrow responded as he was covering his face with his hands in frustration towards Harley Quinn. "And I had her locked up, I swear."

Dinah held a scornful look towards her fiancé as he attempted to explain just how she'd found Harley Quinn traipsing about the Arrow Cave. She didn't like that Harley had renamed the cave, but if she were forced to admit it, she did like Harley's name better than Ollie's.

"Ah love triangles." Batman commented, which startled all three of the Arrow Cave occupants.

"How the hell did you…." Ollie started before seeing the look on Batman's face that explained it all to him. "Right. Because you're Batman."

"What are you doing here Batman?" Dinah asked. "Going to relieve us of our babysitting duties?"

"Not exactly." Batman answered. "I need to speak with the both of you. Something's come up that you need to be made aware of. Can you keep her confined so that we can discuss this without interruptions?"

"What am I over here?" Harley complained. "A troubled teenager?"

"Someone that we don't trust." Dinah answered as she walked Harley over to a holding cell, placing her inside of it. She then took an incendiary arrow and jammed it into the lock, basically welding it shut. "There." She said as she wiped her hands off. "That ought to hold you."

With Harley secured, Batman followed Dinah and Ollie up out of the cave to where they'd be able to speak without Harley being able to hear. When they were clear, Dinah was the first to speak. "Ok, so what's going on that caused you to come all the way out here?"

"I had an unexpected visitor come to me with an interesting request." Batman began. At that point, he offered both heroes the information that he'd been provided by the President. Ollie remained surprisingly quiet as he took in everything that Batman had shared. He was surprised that the President had approached Batman with such a request, and even more surprised by the President's fear of what Superman could potentially be capable of.

"So, who all is on this team you're putting together?" Ollie finally spoke up by asking. "One or both of your Robins?"

"No." Batman answered immediately. "Both are retired. I decided to come to you first because of your help with protecting Harley. Captain Atom's on our side as well."

"Who else did you have in mind?" Dinah asked.

"Stealth is the most important part in the beginning." Batman explained. "I have my eyes on a few people at the moment. Perhaps you could get Huntress and Question to join us. I'm heading to approach Zatanna after I leave here. Then Selina."

"Catwoman?" Dinah asked in a surprised voice. "Can you even trust her?"

"She'll be brought in for different phases, and I'm only going to give her so much information." Batman explained. "We'll need her escapability for certain reconnaissance missions. When this happens, plan on being labeled as an enemy of peace. I doubt Clark will be very merciful when he finds out that he has opposition against what he thinks peace actually is for the world."

"I just can't believe Supes would go that far off the deep end." Ollie commented.

"Believe it." Batman responded. "He's already killed once, all it takes is for him to cross that line again. With each time, it'll become easier and easier. Soon he won't even feel regret about it."

"Can't we try reasoning with him?" Ollie asked. "I've never known Supes to be so closed minded."

"You've never seen him grieving the loss of a loved one before either." Batman responded grimly.

"Is there anyone else that's helping him now that we could potentially sway?" Dinah asked. "Maybe Hal, Barry, or Diana?"

"According to what I've seen, Hal believes in what Clark is doing." Batman answered. "So does Diana. Barry could be a possibility and maybe Billy as well, but I can't be sure. We'll have to investigate that possibility when we're ready for Superman to know that there are those who will oppose him."

The three heroes continued going through all of the heroes that they believed could potentially be pulled to their side of the table in the event that Superman were to go rogue against the freedoms of the world for a little while longer before Batman decided that he needed to move on to Zatanna. Daylight was quickly approaching and Bruce still expected Diana to show up at some point within the next twelve hours depending on what Superman had slated for her to do after completing her tasks in Burma. And aside from Zatanna, he had one other person that he wanted to reach out to and see which side they would be taking.

~~ 3 hours later ~~

The Batwing came to a halt inside the Batcave just as it had each and every other time that Batman had piloted it. Normally if he were not injured, he'd hop right out of the jet, marching steadfastly towards the Cray super computers, but he was utterly exhausted this morning. He'd been out all night long and when he did finally return, it was well passed sunrise. He slowly climbed out of the jet and was almost dragging his feet as he approached the computers, not wanting to log the night's activities when he noticed that someone was sitting at the computer chair facing away from him. It didn't take long at all to realize that it was Diana that had been up waiting for him to return when she spun the chair around to face him. "You've been busy tonight." She quipped.

"I could say the same thing about you." Batman responded as he reached up to pull the cowl off before haphazardly tossing it onto a countertop. "How long have you been waiting here for me?"

"Two hours." Diana answered. "I tried reaching you on the communicator, but you must've had it turned off. Anything interesting happen last night?"

"Nothing to concern yourself with." Bruce answered quickly. "I just went dark for a while to protect some informants." He thought that excuse up quickly, knowing full well that if Diana were to question Alfred about Bruce taking on such a tactic, that Alfred would confirm it as normal as he had done that on occasion before. "Sorry to have kept you up waiting for so long."

"It's alright Bruce." Diana replied. "I just wanted to see you. It's been a while since we've had any free time to spend with each other."

"Clark has been keeping you busy lately." Bruce commented while turning to head toward to change locker area.

"Yes he has, but we've made some significant strides for the world to finally find peace." Diana responded as she followed Bruce to the changing area and helped him get out of the Bat suit.

"Forcing peace isn't actually solving the problem Princess." Bruce stated. "The conflict between the two sides is still there. Clark's only given them one thing in common over top of that conflict, and that's the fear they each hold for him now and what he's willing to do."

"Perhaps for now Bruce, but in time I believe the sides will wonder just what they were arguing about in the first place." Diana rebutted. "After all, I think the proposals that Kal would've come up with for them would be as fair as possible for both countries. They just needed the motivation to compromise, and if fear is what it took to bring about that compromise, then I don't see the problem in it."

Bruce turned to face Diana, looking directly into her eyes with a scowl revealed on his face. "I'm supposed to be the subject matter expert on fear, and I think this is too much Princess. And that's saying something." Bruce argued before returning to removing the last remnants of his suit.

"I don't want to argue about this with you Bruce." Diana stated with a defeated tone in her voice.

"I don't want to either Princess, but I know there's something wrong with the way Clark is going about this." Bruce offered before reaching out to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Diana stood still for a time as she was disappointed that Bruce wasn't sharing her enthusiasm for all the good they'd done up to this point. Eventually though she draped her arms around his neck and leaned in against his still sweat covered chest. Diana didn't mind the sweat though as she knew that it was from the effort of a fellow warrior and found that to be an appealing trait.

Bruce continued to hold Diana while remaining silent. He'd hoped ever since speaking to Dinah and Ollie that he could convince Diana to see that the path Clark was leading them on was the wrong one for peace, but Diana's view of the end results would hold her to Clark's side until she saw for herself just how wrong his path was. It was then that Bruce also confirmed that he couldn't share with Diana what had happened on this night. He wanted so badly to trust Diana with everything, but with Clark as her best friend, he knew that she would be compelled to let Clark in on what was happening potentially against him. Eventually they released their hold on one another, and Bruce headed in for a quick shower while Diana waited.

Bruce returned from the shower a couple minutes later just wearing a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. Even in such garb, Diana still caught herself biting her lower lip from the attraction that she felt towards Bruce at that moment. It took only one glance for him to notice her eyes ogling over his body. When she knew that she'd been caught staring, her cheeks instantly turned a bright shade of pink. Bruce smirked as he took Diana by the hand, leading her up into the Manor where they made their way to the master bedroom. They laid down in each others arms on the soft bed and Bruce kissed Diana gently on the lips just before a knock on the door interrupted them followed swiftly by Alfred walking into the room. "I'm terribly sorry Master Bruce and Miss Diana, but Mr. Fox just telephoned to reconfirm the meeting at Wayne Enterprises." Alfred explained. "I would have rescheduled but this meeting has already been rescheduled on two other occasions."

Bruce groaned as he was already exhausted while also wanting to be able to spend some time with Diana. "It's alright Alfred." Diana said as she sat up on the bed. "We both have responsibilities that sometimes cannot wait."

Bruce merely pulled a pillow over his face as he wanted to scream out obscenities into it to reveal his frustration, but thought better of it. Diana was right; they both did have responsibilities that sometimes came at the expense of sleep or intimacy. Eventually Diana pulled the pillow from Bruce's grip so that his face couldn't remain covered anymore and she smiled brightly as she saw the failed attempt to look angrily at her. Alfred then left the room so that Bruce could get prepared for the meeting while Diana teasingly helped Bruce to get dressed. She taunted him by a tender touch here or a seductive brush of skin there, which did nothing to help his already frustrated state of mind. She knew that she was controlling him, and she was savoring every delicious moment of it. What she didn't know was that Bruce had locked away all the teasing and taunting in his mind. He would have his revenge on Diana if he had any say in it.

~~ Wayne Enterprises ~~

"Bruce, so glad to see that you could make it." Lucius called out as he walked into the conference room with another gentleman following in behind him. "I've been trying to get an audience with the two of you for weeks now."

"Sorry about that Lucius." Bruce apologized. "I've just been dealing with some personal issues."

"That's completely understandable." Lucius replied. "We all know how fond you were of Dick. He had grown into a very well respected young man."

"Thank you Lucius." Bruce returned solemnly before looking at the man in more detail. There was something familiar about him. "Now tell me Lucius, what is it that had you so anxious about this meeting?"

"Actually that's where I believe this gentleman here should take over." Lucius explained. "I'd like to introduce you to Tom, Tom Kent."

"Kent?" Bruce asked as he shook the man's hand.

"No relation to the Kents that raised Superman if that's what you're asking." Tom offered. "I get that a lot now.

That voice. Bruce's eyes narrowed as he put the pieces together in his mind. After a few moments, he turned to Lucius. "Would it be alright if I spent a few moments alone with Mr. Kent here?"

"No problem at all Bruce." Lucius responded. "I'll just go get a refill of my coffee while you two get acquainted with one another."

Bruce waited until Lucius closed the conference room door behind him. Then he flicked a switch, automatically locking the doors and securing the room. When he was sure that everything was safe he spoke in the voice of the Bat. "What are you doing here J'onn?"

"I came to discuss something that could be very important." J'onn explained. Upon hearing this, Bruce sat down at the table and motioned for him to continue. The Martian took a deep breath and continued. "I was in attendance during the vigil in Nightwing's honor. I am very sorry to have heard about the loss of your son."

"Get to the point J'onn." Bruce barked. He wasn't in a place mentally where he was ready or willing to talk openly about his son's death yet.

"It was there that I noticed Kal-El carrying on a conversation with Lex Luthor." J'onn stated. "I was able to get close enough to them without being noticed to overhear what was being said." Bruce's eyes widened. He'd planted bugs and cameras all around, and while he could see the two plainly, the audio was unable to pick up what they were saying. Now he'd have that knowledge as well. "I fear that what Superman is thinking about doing will fall in line with what you believe to be possible. He has many behind him that believe he is still the same person, but with a more driven goal of peace. You and I know differently. Kal-El is a broken version of his former self. I'm not certain that he can ever recover from the loss and grief that he has placed on his shoulders."

"What did they say J'onn?" Bruce asked. He knew all of what J'onn had stated before about Clark, and what he needed to know was what he and Lex had shared.

"You need to research Project Icarus." J'onn answered. "Also, I can sense that you are forming a group to oppose Superman should he make such an attempt, and I wish to join if you'll allow me."


	8. Chapter 8: Peace Summit

Superman tries to gain the people's favor as a new issue arises.

Chapter 8: Peace Summit

* * *

Across the cosmos, a large figure was making his way up a staircase that led to the throne room for the master of that world. The figure was marching up the stairs with a sense of purpose about him as he reached and pushed his way through the main doors, admitting him entrance. He continued to stomp his way before the throne, where he knelt down on one knee, lowering his head out of respect for the master of this domain as he awaited permission to speak. "Rise Kalibak." Darkseid ordered.

"Thank you father." Kalibak responded as he stood on his feet. "I bring news of the Kryptonian on Earth."

"What of it?" Darkseid asked with an uninterested tone.

"He appears to have grown soft father." Kalibak explained. "He has altered his focus to a mission of bringing peace to the world."

"Then perhaps the world is ready to be taken over and ruled by Apocalypse." Darkseid stated. "Take a legion of parademons. Bring Superman's head back on a spit."

"As you command, father." Kalibak responded while placing a fist against his chest in salute before turning to gather his troops for the impending assault.

~~ Watchtower ~~

What had been being dubbed as a council meeting with the more tenured members of the League had been going on regarding the changes in protocol with regards to handling of violent activities on the Earth's surface. It was a somewhat heated debate where Superman felt that they still weren't doing enough and had Hawkgirl along with Hal on his side while the Flash and Shazam were concerned about just how far they had already gone. "Look Superman, I'm not saying what we've already done isn't a great accomplishment, but you have to look at things more objectively. " Shazam argued.

"And just how am I not being objective Billy?" Superman asked.

"The people are afraid of us." Flash answered. "Billy's done some research in his teenager form, and he's finding out that while some people think we've done a good job of increasing safety, there's a growing concern that we've become too powerful and that scares the people."

"Even the news reports are indicating that approval ratings concerning what we've done so far are dropping." Billy added. "I just don't think that the public should be afraid of us. We're supposed to be the good guys."

"We are the good guys." Shayera chimed in. "We make the hard choices that others can't." When she said that, Shayera briefly glanced over to the empty chair between Superman and Diana before settling back into her own seat.

"Sometimes what the public thinks of our actions isn't going to be popular or liked, but it still could be what is best for the world." Diana added.

"We have the assets here to use at our disposal." Superman continued. "We need to make sure that any act of aggression is dealt with immediately. That's why I suggested that Cyborg use the Watchtower satellite system to track any and all warship activities. We don't want to be caught off guard and cause anymore loss of lives if we can prevent it." Superman looked around the table for any further objections before he continued moving foward. "I've also been keeping an eye on things, and this seems to be an image issue for the League. We've been silent ever since the press conference I held announcing my intentions. We need to reconnect with the public, and I think that would help with this fear that they've begun to feel toward us. And that's why I asked for this man to help with a PR announcement."

Superman pressed a button at the conference room table which caused a door to slide open, permitting access to the man that he was referring to. Lex Luthor walked into the conference room to the shock of the League members as he headed over to meet Superman with a handshake. "Superman has reached out to me in the hopes that I could help you appease the masses and better relay your message of peace for the world." Lex announced.

"Wait a minute." Green Lantern interrupted. "What's he doing on the Watchtower?"

"And why are you so willing to trust him Superman?" Barry added.

"Well Mr. Jordan and Mr. Allen…" Lex began. "Part of that trust could be from the fact that I've known all of your secret identities for over a year now, and I've not told a soul about it until now."

There were looks of shock on each person's face. Diana wondered if Lex had deduced Bruce's identity for a moment as well, but quickly shook herself from that thought as she wanted to hear what Lex had to say.

"Now then, if that's enough about trust, helping with your image is why I've set up a press conference for the eve of the Peace Summit. Being tied to the Summit in Geneva will be the perfect backdrop to reapply your message of peace. I've also managed to procure a couple of seats so that Superman and a guest can attend the summit and voice any concerns that they might have or even add some ideas to the Summit if they feel so inclined."

"Thank you Lex." Superman said. "You've been a great help with this. I only wish I could do more to repay for your generosity. " He then turned back to the Leaguers sitting at the conference table. "So do I have any takers to sit at the Peace Summit with me?" He asked.

The room sat quietly for a moment, still shocked that some of their identities were known before Diana raised her hand. "I would like to attend." She stated. "As a representative of Themyscria, it could be beneficial for my people to be involved in a Summit that is meant to promote peace."

The meeting didn't last too much longer, and eventually members began to file out of the conference room until Diana, Superman, and Lex were the only ones left. Diana held a somewhat troubled expression on her face, and Superman couldn't help but to notice it. "What's wrong Diana?" He asked. "Having second thoughts about attending the Summit?"

"No Kal, its not that." Diana answered, and then she looked over to Lex. "Would you mind giving us a moment alone Mr. Luthor?"

"Not at all Wonder Woman." Lex replied before once again shaking Superman's hand and exiting the room.

When the door slid shut again, Diana sighed ever so briefly. "It's…it's about Bruce, Kal." She finally admitted.

"What about him?" Kal asked.

"I thought that in time he would see how the path we've decided to take will bring about true peace for the world, but he's actually been even more adamant that we're doing the wrong thing."

"He always has been the paranoid one of the bunch, never liking change." Superman joked. "It's his choice Di, but so long as he doesn't overstep his bounds, one day he'll see that what we're doing is best for the world, and even for Gotham. Then maybe he'll rejoin us and find some peace of his own."

"I hope you're right Kal." Diana said while sighing.

"There's something else about this isn't there Di?" Superman asked as he took a seat on the table in front of Diana. "Bruce isn't planning on trying to stop us is he?"

"I don't think so, but he's become increasingly distant." Diana replied.

"I know he hasn't been in contact since Nightwing's memorial, but…." Superman started before pausing. "How has he become more distant?"

Diana realized that Superman wasn't aware of the contact that she'd had with Bruce since that night at the location for New Metropolis to be built. She searched for an answer that wouldn't raise Superman's suspicion too much about what was going on between Bruce and her. "He's still a friend Kal." Diana finally responded. "I've tried to maintain contact with him, but he's been so busy as of late. Too busy to even speak with me lately, and that's something I've become unaccustomed to over the years. Normally Bruce is at least willing to speak with me."

"But now he's not." Superman deduced, and Diana confirmed with a nod. "Maybe we should pay him a visit. Offer to have him join in with the Peace Summit we're going to be involved with. I haven't been down to Earth except for missions in a while. The fresh air could do me some good. What do you think?"

~~ Secure Location, Central City ~~

"Thank you all for attending." Batman announced to silence all the chatter going on between the heroes in attendance. "I'm sure you know why we're all here." Batman paused after stating that as some members began mumbling their answers loud enough to sound like the room was beginning to stir. "Each one of us is ready to step up in the event that Superman decides to attempt taking over the world. I've gathered you all here because, whether you believe it or not, that day is fast approaching."

Batman pulled out a remote and hit a few buttons, which brought up numerous pictures of Lex and Superman standing together in the background during the memorial for Dick. It was still hard for Batman to manage, but he was able to find his composure before most of the invites noticed any change in his posture or demeanor. He had to continue showing an aura of indifference.

"Supes and Lex have been friends for years." Ollie chimed in. "They were probably talking about the rebuilding of Metropolis."

"For a time they were." Batman responded. "They also brought up something else."

"What was it?" Dinah asked.

"Project Icarus." Batman answered.

"And just what is Project Icarus precisely?" Captain Atom asked.

"I don't know…yet." Batman responded. "So far I've been unable to find anything indisputable as most of Lex's projects were stored on PC's or hardware that was destroyed in the Metropolis bombing. It wasn't until recently that I discovered that Luthor has been spending equal time at the Fortress of Solitude as well as at an apartment complex while he awaits his new home and company facilities to begin the process of rebuilding Metropolis around them, essentially turning them into the central hub of the city."

"Ok, so how do we go about finding out what Luthor has?" Zatanna asked.

"I've already got someone on assignment to infiltrate and locate anything related to the project and retrieve it for us." Batman answered.

"Let me guess, Catwoman." Dinah exasperatedly guessed.

"Yes." Batman confirmed. "Her skill set makes her an optimal candidate for this task. With something as secretive as Lex has been with this, Selina won't be able to hack into the information, but she should be able to find and download it and get it back to me. Once I have it, I'll work on deciphering just what this project involves and why Superman was asking about it at the memorial. He has to have some type of motive or involvement with it."

"So then what's the plan for all of us?" Captain Atom asked.

"Right now we just need to be vigilant." Batman answered. "The last thing we need is to draw attention to ourselves before we're ready to face him and the rest of the League members that are on his side. If it comes down to them and us, it'll be the hardest battle any of us will have ever faced before. These people aren't just going to be targets, we've worked alongside them, trusted them with our lives at one time or another. Not to mention the fact that some of them are known to be the strongest beings the planet has ever seen."

"You certainly know how to build on the optimism don't ya Bats." Ollie commented.

"I'm not here to paint a pretty picture." Batman responded. "I'm here to keep everyone's perspective in line. We have to be flawless in our execution otherwise every one of us will fail."

"Geez Batman." Huntress commented from the back of the room. "I mean flawless? Isn't that asking a bit much? It's asking the impossible."

"It's asking what may very well be necessary." Question added. "There is a reason why no transgressor has been able to defeat the Justice League before. Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash. Each of them more than formidable on their own, let alone as a group. And that's just mentioning a few of them that Superman has gathered around him. Merely their talent alone makes them almost impossible to defeat."

"But their reliance on their talents could be our advantage to exploit." Batman stated.

"I….I don't follow." Ollie replied.

"Where they rely on talent and ability, we'll rely on skill." Batman explained. "Without skill, all the talent and ability in the world will fail in the end. The last thing I want to say to each of you is that when we do move forward, there's no turning back, and there's a good chance that all of us may not survive. So if anyone wants out, I suggest you leave now."

Batman waited, looking around at everyone in the room, trying to find any possible doubters or deserters. He found that no one made a move to leave, and decided that he had his team. "Then if no one has anything else to add, I'll make contact when we're ready to meet again."

Batman waited in the room until everyone had exited before he began gathering all information that had been provided and placing it into an incinerator. He realized that there was still a presence in the room with him, but Batman maintained his position of overseeing all of the documentation's destruction. When the incinerator door was finally closed, he turned to see who it was. "Don't you think you were being rather bleak towards the team?" J'onn asked as he came into view. "What do you truly believe will be the cost of succeeding in stopping Superman and the others?"

"I can't count on how much it will cost to succeed." Batman answered. "If I know that, I might think the cost is too great and give up. Instead I'm going to focus on doing whatever is necessary because it's the right thing to do."

"The right thing to do could be incredibly costly." J'onn surmised. "I hope that we are all up to the task."

"We have to be J'onn." Batman responded.

"Why is it that you wanted me to keep from being seen by the others?" J'onn asked.

"Two reasons." Bruce answered. "First because I'm not sure yet who all I can trust completely, and two, because I have a questionable job that only you and I are going to know about."

"And what job is that?" J'onn asked.

"We need to have someone on the inside." Batman explained. "I want you to take someone's place on Superman's team so we can keep tabs on them. I have a plan that we'll begin when the time is right. I'll need you to be at the Batcave teleporter controls when that happens. We've got just one shot at this. Cyborg won't be able to trace this from the Watchtower for the first try, but both he and the system won't miss it a second time."

"I understand." J'onn stated. "I assume you've heard about Superman attending the Peace Summit."

"Yes." Batman stated before leaving the room.

~~ Back at the Manor ~~

Diana had arrived around dinner time so that she could hopefully catch Bruce before he left for patrol. The Peace Summit was slated to begin on the following morning, and Diana knew that she would be too busy to see Bruce for the next few days because of it. She'd be at the Summit until its end, and she'd be with Kal as well. If she were to leave to visit Bruce, then Kal would become suspicious of them. She wanted to wait and hoped that the tension between the two heroes would lessen, and when that happened, she could share her happy news with her best friend. When she was permitted entrance at the main door by Alfred, even though she could've guessed, Alfred still instructed her as to where the master was located within the Manor. Diana made her way in through the study to the grandfather clock, and manipulated it to open the entrance to the Batcave. As she walked down the stairs, she realized how she had become accustomed to the damp and cool thickness that filled the air. An occasional flapping of the wings above was the only noise that she could hear as she reached the base of the stairs. The soft glow of the computer monitors was the only indicator that she needed to find Bruce's location, and she glided silently up to the computer platform. Before landing she'd noticed some files still up on the screen regarding the Peace Summit that she was about to inform Bruce about her attending with Kal. "You're not checking up on me are you Bruce?" She asked as her feet touched down.

"No." Was his only response. "Superman's going to be there tonight so he can make an announcement in an attempt to ease the tension between the populous and the League, and then attend the Summit to further prove that peace is what he's after."

"Is there anything you don't know?" Diana asked. "By the Gods Bruce, I swear one day I will have an announcement that you aren't going to be aware of just to see the look of surprise on your face."

"Good luck with that Princess." Bruce joked while trying and failing to hide the smirk from his face.

"Is there anything I can help you with down here?" She offered. She wondered if he also knew that she was going to attend the Summit with Kal, but decided that delving into work was the best option at the moment. He could be angry with her while she was at the Summit instead of ruining what could be a pleasant evening together on this night.

Bruce shook her from her thoughts in surprise as he stood up from his chair and logged off the computer before turning to her. "You can help me by taking my mind off of work for a while before I have to go out on patrol." He suggested with a flirtatious tone and lust revealing in his eyes.

Diana smiled as she took the few steps that were between them and laced her arms around one of Bruce's before she escorted him down the platform and towards the stairs that led to the Manor. "I think I can come up with something." She replied, adding a sultry and mischievous tone to her voice.

Dinner at the Manor was pleasant for the blossoming couple. They actually had a few moments to relax, which was always a welcomed rarity. Bruce spent the majority of the evening listening to Diana's stories about the comings and goings of her time with the Justice League. She even mentioned how Shayera looked over at Bruce's chair momentarily when she was speaking about making hard choices. "I'm beginning to think that Shayera believes your absence from the League was an easy way out for you." She finished with a chuckle before taking a sip from her wine glass.

"I don't know about the way out, but the decision was easy." Bruce responded flatly.

Diana was taken aback by his response. "How could you say that after all the years of working with us?" She questioned.

"It has nothing to do with the people I've worked with or the time I've been a part of it Diana." Bruce responded. "It's about doing what's right because it's right and that's the only reason I need. I won't make choices that will make me become like my enemies. You can't fight crime by becoming a criminal."

"So we're all becoming criminals by our choices within the League?" Diana asked in a raised voice. She couldn't believe that Bruce actually felt this way about what the League was doing.

"You have to keep your center and think about this logically Diana." Bruce explained. "Clark _killed_. It's as simple as that. What happens the next time he does it? Do you and the rest follow suit because it's in the name of peace?"

Diana opened her mouth to argue further, but suddenly stopped once Bruce's words registered. Her shoulders slumped slightly and she lowered her head. He was right. "No." She answered in a small voice.

Bruce stood from his seat at the dining room table and walked over to Diana, kneeling down before her. He reached up using the thumb and forefinger of his hand to cradle around her chin as he gently lifted her head so that her blue eyes were looking into his. "That's the answer I was hoping for Princess." He said before leaning in and placing a chaste kiss upon her lips. "I hope you'll remember that when the time comes."

Diana took her hands and placed each one on the a side of Bruce's face. She had to ask the question that was racing through her before she could do or say anything else. She didn't want to hear that Bruce thought Kal was capable of such things, but still had to know. "Do you really believe that Kal would be capable of this?" She asked in a whisper.

"I'm sorry Princess, but yes." Bruce answered in a sigh with a deflated tone. "Unless something happens to open his eyes, then it's a very real possibility."

"I pray that the Gods do not allow such a travesty to occur." Diana stated. "For all three of our sakes."

"I do too Princess." Bruce admitted.

Diana and Bruce spent the rest of the evening in each other's arms. They'd come to greatly enjoy the intimacy of doing something so simple, and yet it meant the world to both of them. If only the rest of the world was able to find such peace and love, then there'd be no need for heroes or soldiers to fight. Perhaps one day they could find a way to lead humanity to such a place, but tonight was focused on just being able to be themselves together as one.

Alfred had left them some time ago to have their personal space. He knew that Diana would help mend Bruce's wounded heart, and perhaps for the first time in over thirty years, there would be true happiness resonating within the walls of the Manor instead of the gloom and loss that had crippled this family to its very core. They all had an incredibly large mountain to climb, especially with the most recent loss of Dick, but together, perhaps they could all heal. He also hoped that a part of the healing process would be the return of Damien. But at least the building blocks were able to be seen now, and the healing would start with Bruce and Diana.

Eventually the night had to come to an end even though neither Bruce nor Diana wanted it to. He waited as long as he could before needing to get back into the Batcave so that he could prepare for patrol. Diana also needed to get back to the Watchtower as well so that she could prepare to meet up with Kal in Geneva. Reluctantly Diana gave up her human pillow so that Bruce could lead her back down to the cave. The moment that she sat up was almost staggering as they each could feel the warmth that their bodies had created as one slowly dissipate, leaving a slight chill. One look was all it took for both of them to know that the other had experienced the same thing. That feeling brought with it an awkward silence, neither one of them seemingly knowing what to do or say to break it. It was then that Tim came running into the run. "Bruce!" He hollered, breaking the silence. "You've gotta see this."

"What is it Tim?" Diana asked as she saw Tim digging for a TV remote.

~~ Geneva, ten minutes earlier ~~

"Are you sure this is a good idea Lex?" Superman asked.

"Without a single doubt." Lex replied as he handed Superman a pair of black rimmed glasses. "The public will relate better to Clark Kent as opposed to Superman. "It'll be easier for them to listen to someone who appears to be not so different from themselves instead of an invulnerable god."

"Perhaps." Superman conceded with a sigh. "But I'm not wearing the glasses."

"Fair enough Superman." Luthor compromised. "Are you ready with all of the responses we discussed?"

"Yes Lex, although I'm still not sure that they would think up all of the questions that you did." Superman responded, followed by another sigh. He stood from where he'd been sitting and straightened his jacket before taking in a deep calming breath and letting it out. He held a determined look about him as he pushed through the curtains leading him out to the main stage where all of the media outlets had been waiting for his arrival. Instantly his eyes were met with a barrage of camera flashes at an almost blinding rate. He even caught himself holding up his arm to block some of the flashes from reaching his eyes so that he could see where he needed to go. He could also hear all of the shouting of questions to him as he finally reached the podium. There was a loud screeching sound that emanated from the microphone as he adjusted it to better suit his height. That sound did come with one desired effect as the shouting and rumbling from around him lowered to almost complete silence.

"I'd like to thank you all for attending here today." Superman started.

"Why aren't you wearing your suit?" One reporter shouted, interrupting Superman's prepared speech before it had even had a chance to truly get started. Fortunately, Lex had anticipated such an interruption occurring and Superman was more than prepared to respond.

"I'm here out of my uniform tonight because I wanted to show all of the people that while I may be powerful, I still was raised with the standards that everyone else was." Superman answered. "None of us in the Justice League wish to be thought of as above anyone else. We're only now concentrating on using our abilities to help usher in a time of peace and prosperity for the entire planet. That is our only goal, not to rule or to be feared. It's also why Wonder Woman and I will be in attendance at this Peace Summit from beginning to end. We intend to listen to all ideas and conversations as well as participate by any means that we can offer to help make this Peace Summit the most successful one the world has ever seen."

Hearing that caused a murmur among the crowd to grow. Using his Meta hearing, Superman was able to tell that there was still a division amongst the group. Some of the people in attendance believed that was what he and the League were doing while others still feared them and believed they were only consolidating power for themselves to control the world. Hearing that was frustrating for him, but also expected as Lex had seemingly thought of everything.

"So what happens when you finally have achieved your goal?" A female reporter asked. "Are you planning to step down and return your increased power to the people? Won't the very same corruption we have now only return?"

"Those are all excellent questions, and we've been discussing that process amongst ourselves to identify what would bring about the best results." Superman replied. "When we finally have the world in a time of absolute peace, we do plan to step aside and only stand by as watchful guardians of peace. The best outcome would be a one world government where each country is permitted an elected official to raise concerns about the comings and goings of the world. No one country should hold more power than any other, and with us standing by, there should be a sufficient deterrent established by then to help keep everyone honest. If not, then we'll be ready to step in when needed."

The clamoring of the masses began to increase after hearing Superman's response, more and more leaning towards the negative side of where Superman had wanted them to be, but now they were saying things about how it wouldn't work the way he was planning. At least the conversation was moving away from the people thinking they were only seeking power and planning to rule with that power and fear.

"When do you plan to establish this _One Earth Government_?" The same female reporter asked as she continued to push for details.

"That's only one of a multitude of possible outcomes." Superman countered. "I don't want anyone to think that we're going to force the planet to be run a certain way. We'll continue to work with the countries of the world in order to find a feasible solution that will work for as many people as possible. I know that it's going to be impossible to make everyone happy, but if we focus on what's fair and just for the people, then it should be as good a starting position as any to begin with."

Another reporter started to speak up when they were interrupted by a sound that was similar to thunder. Everyone looked around in confusion as the sky was crystal clear until a second explosive sound occurred followed by the visual of a boom tube opening up in the night sky. Parademons flew out in droves and began their attack as Superman ripped the suit off, revealing his uniform. Lex Luthor had run onstage with a briefcase in hand, quickly opening it and tossing the red fabric of Superman's cape to him. When he clasped it on, he reached up to page the Justice League. Apparently Apocalypse was looking for a fight, and he was going to give it to them.

There was a brief pause in the flow of parademons, permitting a large figure to come out before the parademons continued to fly out into the night sky. A loud crash happened just in front of the Man of Steel, and when the dust finally settled, everyone could see who the large figure was as he was standing before Superman.

~~ Back at the Manor ~~

"Superman's latest press conference." Tim answered as he continued searching for the remote.

"I already know about it." Bruce stated just before he looked at the clock to see what time it was. Seeing the time, he realized that Clark's conference should be coming to a close, not just beginning. He'd intended on watching it from start to finish, and would have to catch up on it. Tim would also know better than to rush in for something like that though. It was then that Tim finally retrieved the remote and turned on the television. The camera view revealed a portal that was open in the sky with parademons in large groups coming out. "A boom tube." Bruce stated as he quickly stood to his feet.

"That could only mean one thing." Diana added.

Bruce turned his head to look Diana in the eye and nodded. "Doomsday." He simply said before heading off for the Batcave entrance.

"Wait!" Tim yelled, halting Bruce's movement to turn back to the screen. "Who is that?" Tim asked.

"Darkseid's son, Kalibak." Bruce answered before turning back again in the direction of the cave entrance.

Diana and Tim followed Bruce down into the cave before Bruce split off in the direction of the changing room. Tim and Diana headed straight for the Cray supercomputer so that Tim could pull up the news reports to continue monitoring. They were both surprised by what they saw on the screens. "Bruce, this just became a bigger problem." Tim stated as Bruce approached pulling on the cowl to complete his transformation into Batman.

Batman looked at Wonder Woman, gaining her attention from the monitors. "Call in the League, Diana." He ordered. "We're going to need everyone."


	9. Chapter 9: Take Back The World

The Justice League and the beginning of the Insurgency work to repel a full scale attack from Apocalypse.

Chapter 9: Take Back The World

* * *

"Pull your men back now Kalibak." Superman ordered as he approached the broad shouldered Apocalypian.

"After all of our time spent preparing and traveling to this world, you must be joking." Kalibak mocked. "You really have gone soft after all if you think it would be so easy. That will make taking this world for father all the more easy."

Superman held a vindictive sneer on his face as he growled in anger about the invasion. He wasted little time in rushing into Kalibak and sending the brute up into the air with a crushing uppercut that deposited Kalibak into the side of a building. When the building stopped his ascent, he came tumbling back down along with a few bricks that had come loose from the impact of his body. By the time he had landed on the ground, Superman was already approaching him with a malicious look about him. "I warned you to leave." Superman coldly stated. "Now you'll find out just how dumb of a decision you made."

"I think not foolish Kryptonian." Kalibak called out as he used a hand gesture to signal a large flock of parademons to pull off from the sky and attack Superman all at once. Within seconds the Man of Steel found himself to be surrounded and almost engulfed by all of the parademons that were around him. He wasn't about to let a bunch of henchmen from Apocalypse stop him however, and he made some room with a quick breath that created hurricane force wind, knocking three away. He then spun around with an arm outstretched and his hand balled into a fist. That connected in a backhand like fashion, sending more tumbling down as if they were bowling pins. Just when Superman had dispatched with the last parademon, his jaw was met with a thunderous right hook that spun him off his feet. As he climbed back up to his feet, he wiped his mouth with his hand, checking for any blood as Kalibak's punch was incredibly powerful. It wasn't strong enough though to come close to knocking him out, and he was quick to catch Kalibak charging towards him with a punch to the gut that halted the Apocalypian in his tracks.

Superman looked up for a moment as he heard what sounded like machines flying overhead, and sure enough, the boom tube was allowing warships to enter the planet now. He knew then that he alone wouldn't be able to stop the onslaught of Apocalyptic weaponry and parademons before an unimaginable amount of lives were lost. He tossed Kalibak across the street and reached up to enable his communicator. "Superman to the Justice League." He called out. "Earth is….."

"Under attack, we know." Green Lantern interrupted. "There are boom tubes opening all across the globe, five just over the United States."

"Then after I'm done with Kalibak, that's where I'll be headed." Superman responded. "Have Diana meet me there and the rest of you fan out and drive them back."

"She's actually already at one of the locations in the U.S." Shayera informed Superman. "Gotham City."

~~ The Batcave ~~

"There are portals opening everywhere." Tim stated as he was watching the monitors showing different locations where boom tubes had been opened. "There's even one here above Gotham."

"Darkseid isn't known as a poor strategist." Batman stated as he stepped in front of the computer and began typing furiously on the keyboard. "He's targeting the most populated cities in the world first. Diana, go ahead and I'll catch up with you. I'm going to make a few calls for help. It looks like we'll need all that we can get."

"Alright Bruce." Diana replied. "I'll see you out there on the field of battle."

She took flight and within seconds she was gone from sight. "Tim, I need you to contact Ollie and Dinah, and then Zatanna." Bruce requested. "I'll get in touch with Captain Atom and the rest."

Tim looked at him puzzled for a moment before he went to work making contact. Batman meanwhile headed straight for the Batwing, and climbed inside, but not before reaching out to someone specific. _J'onn._ He called out in his mind.

_Yes Batman. _J'onn answered.

_I need you at the Batcave now. _Batman ordered. _We may have an opportunity here. Keep your eyes on the monitors, and if you see the opening, then take it. If I see it before you, then I'll reach out._

_Understood._ J'onn added before Batman shut down the mental connection. In that amount of time, he'd already climbed into the Batwing, and the engines were fired up. In another five seconds, he was launching through the tunnel out into Gotham's skyline. It was clouded by warships and parademons as far as the eye could see. There was little doubt that Darkseid seemed fully invested in taking control of the world. As he took in his surroundings, off in the distance he was able to make out the visage of Diana ripping through a warship. She was taking large chunks at a time and using them to swat away any parademons that dared to confront her. It was a stunning sight to watch Diana as she battled an enemy. Whenever the odds seemed to be stacked against her, she only seemed to make the battle seem all the more easy for her to achieve victory.

Focusing back on where he was at, Batman weaved through some gunfire that was aimed at the Batwing as he returned fire. He was able to strike a warship, causing it to slowly drop out of the sky before another ship attempted to flank him from behind. Distracted by that, three parademons managed to land on the Batwing and surrounded the cockpit as they began to dig into the jet's outer shell. Batman attempted to shake them loose with a serious of maneuvers, but they were latched on well, and continued to dig for the wiring and controls. Down to his last option, Batman pressed a button, which caused an electric charge to flow throughout the hull of the jet. Each parademon was met with an incredible jolt of electricity, incapacitating them all in the process. One more roll maneuver and they all fell off.

Diana had just finished with another ship when her communicator beeped in her ear. "Go ahead." She barked as she tossed a piece of the warship into another parademon.

"Diana its Superman." Came the response. "There are three boom tubes open over the east coast of the United States. I know you're already there, but when I get free that's where our main focus will be while the rest of the League spreads out to help support where needed."

"Understood." Diana confirmed as she smashed a fist into a parademon while another jumped onto her back. Four more parademons then latched onto her arms, pinning her down for the moment as she struggled, trying to free herself.

Batman happened to catch sight of a parademon with an energy cannon, pointing it directly at Diana, who was too busy dealing with the swarm that was working hard to hold her in place. He hard already flown by and there wouldn't be enough time to turn around and take out the energy cannon. Instead with what little time he had to react, he quickly banked the jet downward into the firing path just as the parademon fired. The blast made contact with the Batwing, shorting everything out in the process and causing the jet to begin plummeting to the ground. Diana heard the blast and looked over in time to see Batman's jet absorb the impact that was aimed for her. "No." She gasped under her breath before finding the strength to shoot upwards into the air and slamming her left arm into another warship followed by her right. The force of the blows caused the parademons to lose their grip on Diana, and she used that opportunity to grab her lasso and ensnare one of the monsters. She then pulled violently as she began to spin around, causing the entangled parademon to slam into the others that were still around her. When she had created enough space, she quickly stopped spinning and tugged on the lasso with incredible force. That caused the one parademon to pull in her direction where it was swiftly met with an Amazonian fist before being released from the lasso so that Diana could chase after the Batwing.

Batman was working as fast as he could to restore power to the Batwing, but his efforts seemed to be in vain as he also kept one eye on the altimeter. When it was getting close to a dangerous level, he pulled the emergency eject lever, but the canopy never opened. _That's not a good sign_ he thought to himself as he tried again and again to pull the lever, but was only met with the same result. An explosive batarang and a small amount of plastique explosive could be enough to blow the latches off the canopy and not injure himself in the process if he were careful, so he unlatched himself from the seat and maneuvered in order to reach one of the latches where he placed a small amount of plastique there. He glanced down at the altimeter again and saw that he'd already gone below 6,000 feet. That left no time to free fall as he'd have less than thirty seconds before being flattened into the ground. Not wasting anymore time, he pulled the batarang out, and threw it to the other side of the canopy. It exploded on impact and he ducked while at the same time pressing the detonator for the plastique. The canopy sucked off the Batwing instantly, and was followed shortly afterwards by Batman. He fought against the free fall as he worked his body into position in order to engage the hang gliding functionality that his cape was designed for when his descent stopped suddenly. There were hands holding him under each arm, and he looked up to find that a smiling Diana had caught him.

Diana glided Batman down to a rooftop where she released him. "Thanks." He said. "But I had everything under control."

"You're welcome." Diana returned as they each glanced around at the chaos on the streets. Parademons were attacking innocent civilians left and right. Suddenly a line of monsters tumbled backwards from the path of a street. Diana and Bruce looked to see that the parademons had been caught in the ultrasonic scream of Black Canary's cry. Another explosion occurred in the sky shortly afterwards, where a parademon was now plummeting from the sky. They quickly discovered that the explosion was caused by Green Arrow. "Looks like the cavalry's arrived." Diana said as she grabbed Bruce and descended over to Green Arrow and Black Canary's location.

"Thanks for the invite to the party Batman." Green Arrow said as he took aim and fired at another approaching parademon. "Wouldn't have missed it for the world."

"What's the plan?" Dinah asked.

"Work to drive them back into the boom tube." Batman barked out. "We have to hold the line here or millions more will be at risk.

"Xob a ni meht kcol" They all heard off in the distance as suddenly a large group of parademons were corralled together and a mystical box appeared around them before sealing shut. There was a small shimmer of light, and Zatanna appeared next to them. "These _things_ interrupted my finale." She said with a smirk on her face.

"The box is as good a place to start as any." Batman stated as he turned to face Diana. "Wonder Woman; shove that box back through the boom tube portal. We'll work on gathering another bunch to send packing, and see if you can turn around some of the warships around while we seal up another package to return."

Diana nodded before grabbing hold of the box that Zatanna had conjured and flying up towards the portal. "So, Wonder Woman's on our side?" Zatanna asked as she stepped next to Batman.

"Not exactly." Batman responded as he tossed an explosive batarang into a group of approaching parademons. "We have to keep them from attacking the innocent civilians." He added, changing the subject back to the battle at hand.

"Right." Zatanna responded with a knowing smile on her face.

~~ Geneva ~~

Kalibak was giving out as best he could, but he knew that in the end he was no match for Superman. He was beginning to show signs of the beating that he was on the receiving end of. Superman had slammed the evil god into the ground hard enough that it created a crater around his body, and he pulled Kalibak up by his armor face to face. "Stop this attack now." Superman demanded.

"And just what will you do if I don't?" Kalibak challenged. "You haven't changed at all Kryptonian. You still won't do all that is necessary to achieve victory. I will not call off the attack. The Earth shall be ruled by Darkseid by day's end." Sensing an opportunity to gain the advantage of their battle, Kalibak drove his knee into Superman's groin, forcing the Man of Steel to back pedal for a moment. Kalibak used that time to pull out a Mother box, and open a boom tube directly behind Superman where dozens of parademons flew out and piled onto the Man of Steel, pinning him to the ground. Kalibak smiled, believing that they had successfully subdued Earth's greatest champion. "You are truly weak Kryptonian." Kalibak gloated as he joined the pile, latching onto Superman in a choke hold. "You fight for your precious belief in achieving peace, but how can you ever hope to win the so called peace when you aren't willing to take a life to attain such a goal from any opposition? Now you will feel the punishment for overstepping your bounds with the sound of death around you before we end your suffering."

Kalibak barked out orders to attack the innocent civilians and soon screams could be heard as parademons were maliciously attacking and killing. Superman could hear the calls for help. "You are weak Superman…." Kalibak continued to mock. "And now the people you have sworn to protect are suffering for it."

Superman closed his eyes as he grimaced, hearing all the screams and cries for help. A rage began to boil deep inside him, and hearing the cries continue caused it to boil over. "Not again." He whispered as he opened his eyes, revealing a burning red glow. Superman screamed a feral animalistic yell as his heat vision fired out, instantly incinerating all of the parademons that had been holding him down and knocking Kalibak into the air away from him. Kalibak landed and had just gotten back to his feet when he felt the hand of Superman clamp down around his throat and pick him up off the ground. There was fear clearly showing on the face of Kalibak as Superman was staring at him with a murderous glower.

Kalibak worked to free himself so that he could form words while in the grasp of the Man of Steel. "I….I am defeated." He managed to squeak out.

"You had your chance." Superman responded. "Fight me Kalibak." Superman slammed a fist into Kalibak as he released the Apocalypian's throat. The blast knocked Kalibak back into another building violently. "You think you can come here and murder innocent people and not be held accountable for your actions?"

"I am a god, like my father." Kalibak weakly responded. "He will not allow you to harm his son."

"You've hidden behind your father for the last time." Superman retorted, infuriating Kalibak into throwing a punch at the Man of Steel which was caught, and a quick move resorted in Superman breaking Kalibak's wrist. "And you are a cancer, and I have no mercy in my heart for cancers."

Superman latched onto Kalibak's throat again, holding him down on his knees. "Try all you wait Kryptonian." Kalibak stated. "I am a god and I am immortal."

"I…don't…care." Superman responded calmly and quietly with a menacing tone as he squeezed tighter and tighter. One mighty yell came as Superman ripped upwards, tearing Kalibak's head from his body. Superman's shoulders were rising up and down with each animalistic breath that he took, Kalibak's head still in one of his hands. The decapitated body stayed upright on its knees for a few seconds before finally tumbling to the ground.

~~ Across the world ~~

The number of parademons that were attacking throughout the world was beginning to overrun the heroes that were attempting to make a stand against them. Hawkgirl had swooped through the air with her mace in hand through the New York sky when she was suddenly caught off guard by an errant missile that had been fired from a raptor fighter jet. It was a case of poor luck for her as she just happened to fly in front of the missile's pass as she was giving chase to another parademon. Batman and Diana were close by as they had worked alongside Black Canary and Green Arrow in Gotham, managing to push all the parademons back into the boom tube there, and once that was done, Batman pulled out a makeshift device that served as a boom tube frequency blocker, enabling him to close the portal in the process. The only thing that that caused though was for the number of parademons to increase exponentially at other areas. Especially in New York as it was the closest location to Gotham. Diana released Batman near where Hawkgirl had slammed into the ground before she began fighting with all of the parademons that were closing in so that they could continue attacking Hawkgirl. When Batman reached Hawkgirl, he knelt down and gingerly rolled her onto her back, checking her for injuries. Finding nothing that would be permanent, he then glanced upward to Diana, checking to see where her focus was as he removed Hawkgirl's Nth metal belt and mace before he began to restrain her. _J'onn, are you ready?_ Batman asked with his thoughts, helping the Martian to establish a mental link with him.

_Yes I am standing by at the teleporter. _J'onn replied.

_Then perform a two way transfer. _Batman ordered. _Reach out to Alfred and have her moved to the containment area of the cave._ As Batman finished issuing his orders, he quickly removed Shayera's communicator from her ear just in time before her body was lost in the white light, showing the teleportation process was happening. When the light went away, Shayera was still lying in front of Batman, but was now stirring and sitting up. Batman handed her the communicator he had removed along with the Nth metal belt and mace. Batman then stood up and offered Shayera a hand as she accepted and climbed to her feet. At that moment, her communicator beeped indicating that a channel had been established.

"Superman to Justice League." The hail revealed from the Man of Steel. Batman and Shayera quickly joined in the battle against the numerous parademons that had begun surrounding them despite Diana's best efforts.

"Go ahead Superman." Shayera answered, transferring the channel to an open link for each member of the League.

"We need to make a decision here." Superman began. "In fighting with Kalibak, he revealed that they wouldn't stop in their attack because they know we aren't willing to do what's necessary to stop them."

"Wait, what are you saying?" The Flash asked.

"I don't think we have any choice." Superman responded. "We have to show them that we aren't going to worry about the lives of monsters when they are attacking millions of innocent civilians."

"You can't take someone like Kalibak's word as true." Diana chimed in as she slammed two parademons' heads together. "You shouldn't listen to him Kal. He's trying to get to you."

"No, this time I think he was right." Superman countered. "We need to stop treating these parademons with kid gloves, and end this attack. We have the power to do it."

"Are you saying that you want to kill them all?" Shazam asked.

"No, I don't want to kill them, but I don't want to worry about their lives when they are out here murdering the innocent." Superman responded.

"You've already made up your mind haven't you?" Flash asked. "If you're looking for permission from us, I won't give it to you. There has to be another way."

Dejectedly, Superman asked. "Can anyone think of any other way to stop them now?" He had let his guard down in frustration at having to take more lives in order to stop the battle, and an explosion occurred directly behind him. Superman spun around to see a parademon lying on the ground, incapacitated. He looked up to find Robin standing before him and realized that an explosive batarang making contact with the parademon was the cause of the explosion.

"Do what you need to Superman." Damien offered. "End this war."

"Thank you Damien." Superman responded. "Let's talk when this is over."

Superman took flight straight up into the Earth's atmosphere, soaking up the sun and recharging his power for what he was about to do.

~~ New York ~~

Batman found himself surrounded next to Zatanna. A parademon had successfully landed a blow to her throat, causing enough damage to literally render her speechless. Batman was down to his last explosive batarang as well, and had resorted to using whatever he could find around him as weapons to defend himself. At the moment he was utilizing the metal pole from a stop sign as a Bo staff, swinging at any parademon within range.

Up in the sky above, Diana had been joined by Shayera as they both were taking turns in bringing war ships down. The help was greatly appreciated as even Diana was beginning to feel the overwhelming odds that she was up against. It gave her a few instances to glance downwards so that she could check on how Batman was faring on the ground. She knew that he was one of the most capable warriors she'd ever had the pleasure of meeting, but that still wasn't enough to keep her from worrying about his wellbeing. Especially considering the fact of how new their relationship still was.

Hearing what Superman was thinking of doing had been somewhat unsettling for her, as she never would have thought Kal capable of such violence, but as the battle continued, she was beginning to wonder if Kal might actually be right. They had been successful in Gotham City getting a boom tube portal closed, but ever since that point, a larger amount of Apocalypse forces had poured out of every other boom tube at an alarming rate. With the amount of time that had passed, she was certain there were several million of Darkseid's minions that had infiltrated Earth, and they were simply overwhelming the Justice League as well as the armed forces that the world had to offer. That was merely providing a distraction it seemed though as for each parademon or warship that was brought down, five times that amount of military personnel and firepower was being decimated in return. Diana managed another glance downward, and gasped slightly when she saw Bruce fending off five parademons at the same time. Zatanna was lying unconscious just behind him as he was fighting to keep her protected as well. She knew that Bruce would never leave anyone behind, especially a close friend such as Zatanna. She wanted desperately to go down and help them, but each time she felt like an opportunity had come; it was quickly slammed shut by another group of parademons.

Batman dodged an energy blast that was aimed for his head. Things were getting extremely difficult as he knew at the time he was fighting a losing battle. Zatanna had gotten knocked out while she was attempting to heal her damaged throat so that she could start casting incantations again while he was fending off two parademons. From that moment on, Bruce had decided that he simply wouldn't allow himself to become separated from Zatanna again, no matter the cost. Now it was becoming evident that the cost was going to be his life. He thought about what he was going to be losing when he did finally fall, and his thoughts went straight to Diana first and foremost. He knew that he loved her deeply, but thinking about not waking up in the morning next to her again caused him to realize just how much he loved her. Losing her would be a pain worse than anything he could ever imagine. He wanted to tell her that he loved her and how much she meant to him, but he knew that if he did, she would likely stop whatever she was doing and potentially endanger herself trying to get to him. So he would simply fight to his last breath, just as he had vowed he would do to his parents all those many years ago.

"Everyone fall back." Came a barking order from Superman through the communicator to anyone that could hear it. Superman had charged himself with the yellow sunlight in space, and was now plummeting through the atmosphere at breakneck speed, his eyes glowing red. When he could see the flying parademons and war ships, he let loose with every bit of strength he could muster his heat vision in a wide spreading assault on his enemies, that left them as nothing but bones and ash, and the warships a burning and melting mass of metal. In a matter of minutes, he had traveled the entire length of the world, and left the enemies almost completely destroyed.

~~ Apocalypse ~~

"Lord Darkseid." Granny Goodness announced as she bowed before her planet's ruler.

"What is the status Granny?" Darkseid requested.

"I'm afraid that Kalibak has fallen, and our troops are all meeting his demise." She answered.

"How is that possible?" The dark god asked in surprise.

"The one called Superman sire." Granny answered. "He has destroyed millions in a matter of minutes."

"Perhaps the Kryptonian has finally chosen to do what is necessary to achieve victory after all." Darkseid surmised. "Issue a retreat. We will have to alter our tactics for another attempt to defeat Superman."

~~ Earth ~~

The few of Darkseid's forces that had survived Superman's aggressive attack quickly retreated back to the closest boom tube. In a matter of minutes, all of Darkseid's forces had either retreated back to their home world or been destroyed. Superman landed back in Geneva to the sound of cheers from the people that had come out of their homes to see the battle had ended. Lex Luthor also stepped out to the podium where Superman was standing before the attack began, and he stepped up to the microphone, ecstatically presenting the Man of Steel to all the survivors, as the crowd continued to grow and cheer for their savior.

Superman looked into the crowd of people that were applauding him when Shazam, Green Lantern, and Flash arrived behind him to the increase in cheering as they were appreciative of all that the heroes had done to save them. After scanning the crowd, he was able to spot Robin applauding him as well. He quickly walked over to Robin, and placed a comforting and appreciative hand on Robin's shoulder and pulled him over to the podium with the others. When he stood behind the podium to speak, the crowd began to energetically chant his name over and over, and as they grew so did the volume of the chanting. Superman waved and continued to promote his vision of peace before slipping behind the curtains where he joined his other heroes along with Lex Luthor in a small group. "I hate to say it Clark, but you might've been right." Green Lantern commented. "What you did was incredible, and the people believe in your vision more now than ever."

Superman didn't feel like the world should be cheering though. Kalibak was right, he'd hesitated again. "It wasn't enough; we should've been able to do more." He lamented as he couldn't think about all the lives that had been saved, but only about the ones that had been lost. "How many more lives do we have to lose the next time?"

"You can only be in so many places at once Supes." Flash responded. "Even for someone as fast as me."

Superman nodded his head in agreement just before Lex interrupted. "Well, not yet at least."

"What are you saying Lex?" Shazam asked.

"Superman and I had been involved with an experiment." Lex explained. "I was going to wait until after the Summit to announce anything, but Project Icarus is ready for implementation to begin."

"Then let's get to it." Superman commented as he walked away with Lex at his side while the other heroes shared puzzled looks with one another.

In New York, Diana and Shayera landed next to Batman as he was tending to Zatanna. She had regained consciousness just moments beforehand, seeing the sky as a ball of flames from Superman's attack. Batman had seen it as well, and was horrified to see just how far Superman was now willing to go. He seemed to have no problems taking lives now for what he believed to be right. And because of the situation, the people would adore him for what he'd done. Diana placed a hand on Bruce's shoulder as she was looking him over for any serious injuries when she noticed the bewildered look on his face as he was watching people gather in cheering about what had just happened. "What's wrong Batman?" She asked with concern etched into her voice.

"He killed them." Bruce responded absently.

"Kal didn't have a choice." Diana responded.

"There's always a choice." Batman responded before helping Zatanna to her feet and walking away.

"Does he really believe there was something else we could've done differently to have ended this attack without losing more lives? Diana asked as she looked to Shayera and Zatanna.

"I think that answer is fairly obvious." Shayera commented as they all watched Batman walking away.


	10. Chapter 10: Dealing With A Traitor

Superman works to find a possible leak within the Justice League

Chapter 10: Dealing With A Traitor

* * *

"Just when the hell were you going to let us know about this Supes?" Flash angrily asked.

"Yeah, you're basically working with Lex Luthor so that you can build an army." Green Lantern added.

"It's not an army." Superman argued. "We were working on this long before Metropolis was even destroyed. "At first it was a theory that we could try and help the world with Kryptonian nanotechnology with curing certain diseases that someone like I won't have to worry about. Then we discovered that wasn't the only possible benefit that this project could cause. Now the thought is that we can establish some ground forces to help serve as keepers of the peace. It wouldn't be much different than what the Green Lantern Corps is about Hal. We need them available in the event of another attack like Apocalypse."

"I'm not too sure that the governments of the world will see it that way." Shayera commented.

"I agree." Diana added. "You've just gained the trust of the people, but if you go through with something like this, you could very well undue all the good that you've done so far."

"What would happen if this pill you're having Lex create were to fall into the wrong hands?" Shayera questioned.

"That's not going to happen." Superman responded. "There are a number of candidates that we can trust to give these pills to, and I've already started drawing up a list of possibilities."

"Is someone that we've worked with in the past on the list?" Diana asked. "Batman perhaps?"

"If I thought for a second that Batman would stand with us, I'd definitely consider it." Superman replied.

"Yeah, Bats with powers would be quite the asset." Flash added. "He was a handful for anyone we were up against even without any powers."

"I haven't spoken with Batman since the memorial for Nightwing." Superman stated bringing the topic back around. "Do you know something that we don't Di? I know during the attack that you were located in Gotham when it started. Batman usually has issues with any Meta human being in his city without his permission."

Diana didn't know exactly how to take that response from Kal. Had he been checking up on her for some reason? She decided to table that thought for the moment unless it rose up again. "Yes I was in Gotham." She answered. "Batman is still a good and trusted friend. He does have hesitation about what this vision is going to evolve into, but I believe he could change his mind when he sees that it's working."

Superman searched Diana's facial expression for any signs that would reveal more than she was sharing. He knew that she was omitting something, but he wasn't sure what it was. After a pause of silence had filled the room, he finally broke it. "Well, when that time comes, we can discuss Bruce being one of the recipients, but until then, I think it'd be best to leave him off the list."

"So just where is Luthor running this project from to keep anything from getting into the wrong hands?" Shayera continued to prod for information.

"He's safe, I guarantee it." Superman answered cryptically. "He'll be here for the next meeting to present Project Icarus to us and how it works."

Diana remained quiet for the remainder of the League meeting as Superman continued on down the path that he had in mind. This was truly the first instance that she had wholeheartedly disagreed with the path that Kal was taking. She needed to tell Bruce about these pills just in case he might need to know if Kal were to make the choices that Bruce was concerned about from the beginning. The course of her thoughts then brought her to the night Apocalypse had attacked and Bruce's response at Kal's actions. Being a warrior, she understood that sometimes killing an enemy would be the only possible way to end a battle. Some enemies were that desperate, deranged, or determined. If what Kalibak said were true, then he certainly would be one of those, and Diana knew for a fact that Darkseid would've been no different. Bruce though refused to accept that one had to resort to murder in order to achieve victory, believing it made you no better than those you fight against. It was the reason that he had walked away as others cheered for Superman's victory. Diana had to spend the next three days basically walking on eggshells around Bruce as he was like a vial of nitroglycerine, and one incorrect action would set him off. Eventually she'd broken through that wall he'd constructed, but she didn't enjoy the venom that Bruce would spit out towards anyone that was on Kal's side.

When it appeared that the meeting was going to adjourn, Superman had one final topic to bring up. "I'd like to announce some new additions that support my vision of peace." He started before a door slid open to the shock and some gasps from the rest of the League members at the conference table. "Robin was willing to help and is a believer in the path that we're on. His intellect and skills will be an asset for us in the future. And this should come as no surprise, but Cyborg and Raven have more than earned the right to become an integral part of the League. I want to offer congratulations to Robin, Cyborg, and Raven. We'll be a stronger unit with each of you."

"I'm not Robin anymore." Damien announced. "I lost the right to that title the night that Dick Grayson died. I intend to use a different moniker in the coming days as a tribute to my fallen brother. I owe it to him to honor what he stood for."

No one argued that point while some wondered just what exactly Damien had meant or had in mind, but with Damien's addition to the group, that concluded the meeting. Everyone dispersed from the conference room while Damien and Superman remained. "I need you to take on an interesting assignment." Superman stated quietly.

~~ Batcave ~~

All the recently acquired members of the Insurgency were in attendance. Beatrice was frustrated and arguing with anyone that thought what Superman had done to the parademons was wrong. She felt that what he'd done was a heroic choice.

"It's not the point of who he killed Huntress." Batman argued. "It's the fact that there's no turning back for Clark now. He's crossed that line and he's okay with killing to gain favor in his quest."

"Oh come off it Bats." Huntress complained. "You're just about the only one on the planet that doesn't approve of what Superman did. Being sanctimonious all the time doesn't always make you right you know. Does even anyone here think that what Superman did was wrong?"

Huntress' question was met with silence from everyone else until Catwoman appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. "I think that Batman is right." She added, breaking the silence.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Huntress asked as her anger began to rise from seeing the cat burglar in attendance.

"You found something." Batman surmised, ignoring Huntress' question entirely. "How bad is it?"

"I suggest you tell your little gang." Catwoman responded. "It should be more than enough to rally the troops for your cause."

"What is Catwoman referring to?" Question asked.

"Project Icarus." Batman answered as everyone's attention was now on Selina. "What did you find?"

"It's some type of power enhancement supplement that Lex had been working on for years." Selina explained as she tossed Bruce a USB drive. "You wouldn't believe what I had to go through just to get the little bit of information that's on the drive."

Bruce went over to the Cray supercomputer and inserted the USB drive, pulling up the files to review as soon as the computer read the contents. There wasn't much there, but it was enough to show that Lex had instilled some Kryptonian based technology to help advance his testing results. "What's he going to do with this?" Huntress asked.

"He's going to build an army to keep everyone in line." Bruce guessed. "We have to find out how close Lex is, and hope that we can put a stop to it before he creates a functional supplement. We won't stand a chance if he builds and army of super soldiers."

Finding out that piece of information worked in easing the tension amongst the group as they now could see where Superman was potentially moving towards. As Batman continued digging through the information that Selina had provided, the rest of the group began to head back to their respective locations. There was a lot of information for them all to process about just what they might have to do. Bruce continued his work nonstop as he was searching for just how to get to Lex and stop him before it was too late when the Batcave transporter alarm sounded, indicating that someone was attempting to transport into the cave. Having a dampener system built to protect the cave, he had an override that allowed someone with the proper access level to bypass the dampener in order to transport in where no one else would be able to. There were just four people alive with such clearance. It was just a few seconds when he found out which one it was. "Consorting with the enemy Diana?" Bruce asked as he closed the windows on the computer to hide what he'd been reviewing.

"With what I came here for, I might become one of the enemies." Diana said as she approached Bruce. She held a concerned look about her that he noticed immediately, which only caused his concern for her to increase.

"What is it?" He asked as she came up and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry Bruce." She whispered. "I think Kal might turn out to do what you feared he would."

Bruce returned the warm gesture as he tried to offer her comfort if she needed it. She had obviously come down to share something important as Diana never came down unannounced before, even when they were fighting. Bruce just stayed there silently holding Diana until she was ready to continue with why she had come down.

"Kal, he's proposed building an army of ground forces." Diana explained. "He's justifying it as only for protection in the event of another attack like from Apocalypse, but I think he's got more on his mind than that."

"You're talking about Project Icarus aren't you?" Bruce asked which caused Diana to release her hold on him in surprise over what he knew already. The surprised look caused Bruce to continue providing Diana what he'd found. "It's some form of durability enhancement that can be given to a normal human. The expected result is the increase in strength and durability of the person that is administered this supplement that Luthor is creating."

"Lex is supposed to be at the next League meeting to present the results of his project." Diana informed him.

"Damn." Batman responded. "That means Luthor's probably already successfully created the supplement. I was hoping there'd be enough time to stop him before he finished his testing and research. We have to find Lex now and stop him. Does anyone aside from Clark know where Lex is?"

"Shayera asked, and Kal would only say that Lex was safe from having to worry about the pill falling into the wrong hands." Diana answered.

"The only place that Kent would consider completely safe from the outside world would be the Fortress of Solitude." Batman deduced. "I'll need some time to plan and formulate a distraction to keep Superman from knowing that we're going to steal any prototype and documentation that will allow Kent to mass produce the supplement. If he has an army at his beck and call, stopping him from ruling the world will be next to impossible. Especially if you remain on his side."

Diana gazed into Bruce's eyes to find some apprehension there with him. But there was also something else. "What do you need me to do?" She asked and saw that something else was hope. Hope that she would stand with him for the world, and her offering to help was just what Bruce needed to hear from her as it seemed a weight had finally been lifted off his shoulders.

"Thank you." He murmured as he embraced her once again. He felt relief wash over him at that moment. He'd not realized until then just how much the possibility of Diana being on the opposite side would affect him. He still knew that she would be somewhat on the fence about just where she would be standing, but now she had decidedly taken a step towards aligning with Bruce, and that comforted him more than he'd anticipated.

Diana enjoyed the warm embrace that Bruce had wrapped her in. She wasn't exactly sure what he was thanking her for, but wasn't going to do anything to possibly end this affectionate moment. It was the first time where she actually felt that Bruce was showing he might need her with him in his life, and she cherished the thought of that. Eventually though, the moment came to an end as Bruce loosened his hold and stepped back almost as though he was aware that someone was entering the cave, because no sooner than he had released his hold on her completely, Alfred could be heard walking down the steps. When he was standing before the two of them, Bruce turned his attention to his butler. "Were you able to get everything set up as I requested?" He asked.

"Yes sir." Alfred responded. "Everything has been completed as requested and is quite secure and contained for the moment. There shouldn't be any need to visit for the next few days."

"Hopefully by then, we'll already have everything I need." Bruce said as he returned to the computer chair with Diana and Alfred following behind him.

"Sir." Alfred stated, interrupting him from continuing with his research. "I'm afraid that isn't the only reason for my trip into the Batcave. You have a visitor upstairs."

"Who is it Alfred?" Bruce asked.

~~ The Manor, a few minutes earlier ~~

Alfred had just returned to the Manor after completing the errand of setting up the temporary holding quarters for Hawkgirl. He made sure that she would be comfortable where she was lying, stuck in a drug induced coma for the time being. He was making his way to the study in order to inform Bruce of the completed tasks when he realized that he'd apparently left the light on in the guest wing halls while cleaning earlier that morning. _I could've sworn I turned the light out_, he thought before determining that perhaps his old age was beginning to show some signs of wear and tear in the form of minor short term memory loss. He walked over to the lit up hallway, and flipped the switch off before realizing that the hallway lights weren't the only ones left on. In fact, he could've sworn that when he flipped the hallway light switch off that he'd heard what sounded like someone rummaging quietly about the room that was lit up still. Alfred silently approached the doorway as he looked for a weapon to use in the event of an intruder in the Manor, grabbing hold of a battle axe that had been mounted to the wall as he passed by it. He slowly continued toward the doorway, and could just make out some quiet noises from inside the room. Alfred took a deep breath and sprung into the room with the battle axe held high above his head, ready to attack whoever was intruding, when he noticed the jet black hair and the black and yellow cape around the man's shoulders. It didn't even take a second to recognize that it wasn't any intruder, but instead Bruce's son. "Welcome home Master Damien." Alfred greeted as he lowered the axe. "Although next time I ask that you used the front door next time. I'm afraid my old heart cannot take such stressful abuse."

"I'm sorry Alfred." Damien responded solemnly. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Don't give it another second thought Master Damien." Alfred consoled. "I certainly hope that you are putting your belongings away and not packing."

"I'm going to have to disappoint you Alfred." Damien responded. "I'm not staying long."

"At least let me inform Master Bruce of your arrival." Alfred stated. "I know that he has missed you and would want to see you before you go about on your way."

"I don't know Alfred." Damien wavered. "I'm not too sure that he wants to even look at me anymore."

"That is utter rubbish Master Damien." Alfred countered. "You are his son. Of course he would want to see you. I'll inform Master Bruce of your arrival."

Alfred scurried off immediately, leaving no room for Damien to offer any form of an argument that would be heard and made his way down to the study and into the Batcave so that he could inform Bruce of his son's arrival before Damien attempted to slip away.

~~ Back in the Cave ~~

Bruce looked over at Diana when he heard a slight intake of air from her. He wondered just what the cause was, but Alfred seemed to have a rushed sense about him as well. Damien probably hadn't intended on being seen, and most likely was only picking up a few items that he needed before attempting to slip back out. Unfortunately for Damien, he always underestimated the stealthy nature that Alfred was so very good at, and he'd been spotted by the sly butler. "Alright Alfred. Lead the way." Bruce stated as he stood up from his computer chair and noticed the hesitation from Diana. He reached over and grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before letting go and making his way over to the changing area. "Make sure Damien doesn't try to slip away Alfred. Diana and I will be up as soon as I get out of the Batsuit."

"Very good sir." Alfred responded before turning on his heel and marching right back up out of the cave and into the Manor.

As soon as the cave entrance closed behind Bruce's faithful butler, Diana walked over, standing just outside the changing area. "I'm not so sure that I should go up to see your son Bruce." She said.

"Why is that?" Bruce asked as he walked back into view dressed in a dark blue turtleneck and khakis.

"Lex wasn't the only news that Kal offered in today's meeting." Diana responded. "He also announced the additions of Cyborg, Raven, and Robin to his team."

"What!?" Bruce questioned, with his anger snapping immediately to a boiling rage.

"He apparently was helped by your Damien during the attack, and offered the opportunity to join his cause. Damien accepted." Diana explained. "He might inform Kal of my being here and raise suspicion for whatever plan you have regarding Lex Luthor's project. Kal's already questioned my time spent in Gotham."

Bruce thought about that for a moment while he was walking up the stairs heading towards the entrance to the study. It wouldn't be a good idea to potentially place Diana in trouble by revealing to Damien that she was there, but he didn't want to believe that his own flesh and blood would betray him at the same time. As always though, being paranoid was basically a way of life for Bruce. In many ways it was the reason why he'd survived so long in his quest for justice and vengeance. He wasn't about to go against that mantra today. He'd be cautious around Damien just as he was still being with Diana until he was certain of each of their allegiances. "Alright Princess." Bruce conceded. "Will you wait in the cave for me to return?"

"I'll wait for a while, but I don't want to raise suspicion either." Diana replied. "If you take long I may have to return to the Watchtower. I'm supposed to train with Shayera this afternoon before Monitor Duty."

"It may be better to err on the side of caution." Batman suggested. "Go ahead and head back. We'll meet up after your Monitor Duty and my patrol."

"Very well." Diana agreed. "I love you Bruce."

Bruce leaned in and gently pressed his lips against hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck. After about a minute, Bruce ended the kiss and grabbed her hands as they slid back from around his neck and down his chest. "I love you too Diana."

Alfred had raced up into the Manor to find Damien had indeed been attempting a quiet exit. "Master Damien, please wait son." He coaxed as he approached Damien at the main door with a bag slung over his shoulders. "Master Bruce is on his way up as we speak." Damien stood there with a hand on the door handle, ready to open the door and exit until he felt Alfred's comforting hand land upon his shoulder. "Please Master Damien." He continued to attempt convincing. "This house has seen too much tragedy over the years to allow father and son to be divided now. We need to stay together now more than ever before lad."

"I….I just don't think I can Alfred." Damien admitted in a small and defeated voice. "Every time father would look at me, it would be with contempt for what I've done."

"Nonsense Damien." Bruce stated as he walked into the foyer. "You're still my son, and I don't believe that you ever meant to actually hurt Dick."

"No father." Damien admitted. "I didn't mean for things to happen the way that they did." He looked up into his father's eyes, full of contrition for what he'd been responsible for.

Bruce could plainly see the pain laced throughout his body language. Damien had most definitely been beating himself up over what he'd done to cause Dick's death. Bruce was relieved to see that it had been an accident after all as until this moment he couldn't be sure. Then he noticed the bag on the floor just behind Damien. "Not staying?" Bruce asked.

"Umm, no father, I'm not." Damien confided. "I picked up some things and left the Robin suit in my room."

"You're giving up the mission too?" Bruce questioned.

"In a way, yes." Damien replied. "I'm not going to be Robin anymore. I don't deserve that title."

"What will you do?" Bruce asked.

"I actually received and accepted an offer to join Superman's regime." Damien answered. "That's why I can't stay father. I know you are against what Superman is going to do, but I believe in him, especially after the sacrifice that he made when the attack of Apocalypse happened. Besides, you turned your back on me at Arkham, and I figured you wanted nothing to do with me, so I decided I needed to move on."

"And there's no talking you out of this mistake." Bruce stated. It wasn't a question as he already knew what Damien would say. He was blinded by the results that Superman had attained just like the rest of the world. With Diana informing him that Damien had been at the meeting with Clark, he was likely well aware of Project Icarus and what Clark intended to do with it. There was no point in arguing either as it would only drive Damien further away.

"No there isn't." Damien agreed. "Superman's in the right and you're just too conceited to see passed your own ego to see that."

"This isn't about me Damien." Bruce argued.

"It's always been about you _father." _Damien fired back with some venom laced in his words. "You and your impossible standards."

"Good luck to you then son." Bruce said before turning and walking away.

~~ Fortress of Solitude ~~

"Perfect." Lex commented as he pulled the first Five-U-93-R pill he'd created and held it in front of him. "Finally after years of work and research, we can keep the world safe."

"Do you really think that's what you're doing?" Jonathon Kent asked as Martha and he watched in shock over what Luthor had just created. "Are you really proud of what you've created?"

"Along with your son, yes I do and yes I am proud." Lex responded as he turned his attention to the Kents. "If we'd have had this supplement before the attack from Apocalypse, we would've been able to stop them so much more quickly than what we did, and that would save lives. Now using the alien technology provided by your son, we can enhance the human race to levels that were only imaginable before."

"Please Mr. Luthor; our Clark doesn't need some scientific pill to help him." Martha chimed in. "He needs someone to talk to about what he's going to do, and about how to accept loss."

"Neither of you understand what we are doing." Lex fired back. "This is simply above the intellect of mere mortal humans."

"Don't be a fool!" Martha snapped. "Clark is hurting so much from all the loss that I barely recognize my own son when I see him now."

"She's right Lex." Jonathan added. "Clark's lost his wife, his unborn child, and his city. Losing all of that has made him realize that he's lost the control that he thought he had over his personal world, and with the _vision of peace_ and now your army, he's only trying to get that control back. The sad fact that Clark needs to realize is it's actually control that he never really had, and he never really will either."

"Do you think that Superman is acting like some sort of scared child?" Lex asked.

"Aren't we all?" Martha countered with a disarming smile. "You're supposed to be the smartest man on the planet Mr. Luthor. Can you honestly tell me that you can't see that Clark needs help? Look passed all of the gifts and powers that he has as Superman and realize that he's still a man, and as a man he's still far from perfect. Clark makes mistakes just like the rest of us."

Lex remained quiet as he placed the pill back into a containment unit. He'd never thought of Superman as just a normal person before or that he could be just as fallible as anyone else. "I still want to believe that Superman's cause is a good one worth pursuing." Lex stated. "I don't want what happened to Metropolis to happen again."

"As one of the only other survivors of that horrible day Lex, you have to realize just how alone Clark is feeling." Jonathan added.

"Alone right now for our son is the most awful word in the English language." Martha explained. "Murder is only a poor synonym for being alone right now for Clark. Just look around the Fortress if you don't want to take our word for it. Look at the monument of his Kryptonian parents, or the mural of Lois."

"I'm not sure that Clark could stand it if he lost any more." Jonathan stated. "It's why he has us cooped up in here where he thinks we'll be safe from the cruel world. I'm afraid that he'll keep bottling everything he cares about up until no one can even breathe under him anymore."

"What do you want me to do?" Lex asked as he was taking in everything that Superman's parents were sharing with him.

"We just want you to do what's right." Jonathan responded before pointing to the container with the first batch of pills. "What you have there could be the only way to stop and save our son from what he's becoming."

~~ Watchtower ~~

"Are you sure?" Superman asked.

"This place reeks of my father's defiance." Damien responded. "He has a spy among the League members. Possibly more than one. I know how my father works. He manipulates until he gets his way. I know that he's aware of what's going on. I've had Cyborg working the computer system seeking out any attempted hacks or remote viewing of files. I know father's encryption protection and Cyborg is looking for that signature in the code. So far he's found nothing."

"This is why you think he's got a spy in our midst." Superman surmised, and receiving confirmation in the form of a nod from Damien. "Call another meeting for this evening. See if you can't make out any irregularities in each member's body language."

Diana was sitting in on Monitor Duty after having worked out with Shayera. She couldn't be certain, but something felt off about the training session with her Thanagarian friend. Shayera seemed much stronger than any other sparring session she'd had with her before, and her fighting tactics were different. Everything else felt normal, but a warrior learned certain things while training with teammates that singled out one's tendencies compared to any other, and that was what Diana had noticed. She was looking forward to her shift ending as she wanted to spend the evening with Bruce. Time together was becoming more and more scarce, and she wasn't about to let an opportunity slip away. She'd dug into files, looking up Lex Luthor and searching for his Icarus Project as she debated staying alongside Kal. She was beginning to see just what he could potentially become, and it horrified her to think of that happening to the world. She'd need every Amazon at her disposal to even have a remote chance at battling Kal and his team. She wondered how Batman could face such daunting odds when just a couple nights ago, she too would still have been on Kal's side. Bruce had no Amazon army, and yet he still stood for what he believed to be right and just. It was that undaunted courage that served as a great attractive quality that she found within him. Her thoughts were interrupted by the door of the Monitor Womb opening to reveal Cyborg entering. "Superman's ordered an emergency meeting." He announced.

"What's the meeting about?" Diana asked. "I've seen limited activity on the surface."

"We'll find out when we get there." Cyborg responded before turning and heading toward the conference room. Diana followed and saw the rest of the League already waiting on the inside. She wondered for a moment if Kal was about to call her out on how much time she'd been spending in Gotham until she reached her seat. Once everyone was in attendance, Superman stood from his seat, placing his hands on the table in front of him.

"I have reason to believe there is a traitor among us." Superman stated to begin the meeting. He watched as everyone gave each other looks of dismay and questioning within themselves as to just who that culprit could be. When everyone began to murmur and start questioning within the group on who it was, he continued. "This person has been providing Batman with details that haven't been made public, and right now, Batman stands against what I'm trying to accomplish for this world."

"Wait, you don't really think that Bats would actually go up against the entire Justice League do you?" Flash asked.

"Why wouldn't he?" Superman rhetorically asked. "He's had contingency plans for all of us hidden away in that cave for years."

"But he made those plans secure to where it takes a minimum of three current or former Justice League members to access each one." Shayera countered.

"She's right Superman." Damien responded. "For someone like you, he'd need Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Wonder Woman to access whatever he created for your contingency."

Superman glanced over to Diana for a moment, making a mental note to keep a closer eye on her as she was the only one that was currently there to persuade to prevent Batman from taking that stance. Diana shot a glare at Damien as he'd given up the crucial bit of information that no one League member was supposed to have. "You shouldn't have divulged such information _Nightwing._" Diana spat angrily at him. "Don't let anyone else know who's needed to access the contingency plan for them. That was one of the safe guards that Batman designed." She wondered how angered Bruce would be to find out that not only had his own son divulged confidential information about his contingency plans, but also that he was donning Dick's Nightwing suit as well.

"Alright everyone, let's get back to the reason for this meeting." Superman said corralling the conversation. "I have my suspicions already based on the attack of Apocalypse, but I wanted to give the traitor a chance to come clean by standing up and leaving the conference room. You're participation from the League will be revoked going forward and you'll be asked to leave the Watchtower immediately."

Superman began walking around the conference table slowly. As he walked behind a League member, he came to a pause, looking down at each member before glancing up at Damien and moving on to the next one. He went passed Green Lantern first, and saw Damien shake his head slightly to indicate that he didn't believe Hal was the culprit before he repeated the process with Shayera, Flash, Shazam, Cyborg, Raven, and finally Diana where he came to a stop. Superman placed his hands on the back of her chair, pulling back slightly and squeezing the leather tightly, causing the leather of the chair to creak under his grip. Superman and Damien believed they had their culprit pinned down, but Superman chose to give just enough leash to allow the traitor to hang themselves with. Superman glared down at Diana before he once again addressed the group. "So no one wants to come clean?" He asked rhetorically. "Very well then. You know who you are, and I WILL find you, and you will be dealt with as any traitor. Leaking our plans is going to be considered an act of treason, and you will be summarily executed for your actions. For now, the meeting is adjourned."

Superman and Damien stood side by side watching as the rest of the group left the conference room. When they were all gone, Superman turned to Damien. "Thank you for that piece of information." He said. "Keep an eye on her and let me know when you catch her in the act. The information you provided about my contingency plan needs to be wrapped up now. Bruce is formidable without his plans, and I can't afford to let him stop us from creating a world of peace, regardless of how noble he believes his intentions are."

"All you need is just one of the four to keep my father from accessing the protocol." Damien explained.

"I know, and I have an idea about how to insure that becomes the case too." Superman responded before exiting the conference room as well and heading to the teleporter. He entered the destination along with the destination log wipe command to prevent anyone from knowing where he was heading before stepping onto the platform and disappearing in the blinding light. Within minutes he was sitting in an interrogation room across from the man he wanted to speak with. "I'm only going to say this once." He started. "If you help me now, I have the power to have your sentence reduced considerably. All I want from you is all the technology and information you have regarding Jervis technology."


	11. Chapter 11: Discoveries and Deceptions

Superman makes a critical discovery and Batman seeks out a distraction.

Chapter 11: Discoveries and Deceptions

* * *

"Do you think he's aware that you're the leak?" Batman asked.

"I can't be certain." Shayera answered. "But I believe he has an assumption of either Diana or myself as the mole. Either way I sense that Diana could be in danger if she stays here on the Watchtower with him. You may have to accelerate your plans to extract her before Superman finds out about you and her."

"We're almost ready here to make our move." Batman commented. "When we do, you need to break off and we'll let Shayera go. She hasn't done anything to be held prisoner any longer than necessary. Diana won't be happy to find out that we've kept Shayera for as long as we have, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Agreed." Shayera replied before pausing to check on a small noise that she thought she heard from behind her.

_What is it J'onn? _Batman asked in his mind after not hearing anything more from him.

_I thought I heard something._ J'onn replied.

_If you think you heard something and Damien is aboard the Watchtower, then you most likely did hear something. _Batman added. _Check it out before he seeks out Clark. I don't want to risk your safety if you have been caught. If you find that you've been compromised, get out immediately._

_I will let you know either way._ J'onn replied before breaking the mental connection and exiting his personal quarters in search of Damien. He hurried down the corridor, following any traces he could find of someone being there just moments ago as he was just able to make out the faint sounds of someone just ahead of him. He figured that Damien was making his way to Superman's personal quarters, but J'onn already knew that Superman wasn't currently aboard the Watchtower. Damien had yet to be given a League communicator as Cyborg, Raven, and he were still in the middle of their evaluation period with training taking place. Once he realized that Superman wasn't aboard, his next step would likely be to establish radio contact, leaving J'onn with two possibilities to catch Damien before any message could be sent out. After stopping Damien, if he couldn't convince Bruce's son to remain quiet then he'd have to quickly make his escape or else face the possibility of being dealt with by Superman. While J'onn was a high powered being, Superman held the advantage in strength as well as durability. It would only be a matter of time against the Kryptonian before he would fall and he was acutely aware of that fact solely based on the knowledge that Superman was willing to kill and he wasn't.

As luck would have it, as he rounded another corner J'onn caught sight of Damien ducking into one of the training rooms just down the hall. He must have made a wrong turn J'onn thought to himself as he reached and opened the door. Inside he found Damien waiting and ready to fight. "What do you think you're doing _Shayera?"_ Damien questioned in a mocking tone. "Or should I say J'onn?"

"You truly are like your father in many ways." J'onn commented. "It's a shame that you've chosen to side with Superman, but it's still not too late to change your mind."

~~ Fortress of Solitude ~~

Superman was sitting in a makeshift laboratory, locked away from his parents with Jervis Tetch working diligently on what Superman had requested. He was putting the finishing touches on nano-bytes utilizing his own technology mixed with the nanotech from Superman and Lex Luthor. "How much longer is it going to take Jervis?" He asked impatiently.

"I'm nearly finished Superman, but I am curious as to what your interest is in this." Jervis responded. "I didn't think you hero types were for mind controlling devices."

"Not that it's any of your concern, but we're not." Superman answered crossing his arms in frustration. "I'd focus more on speeding this up if I were you because if you don't then you can just go back to prison for all I care."

Jervis huffed as he continued typing furiously, inputting his coding into the nano-bytes. After a few more moments, he was putting in his finishing touches. "And….there." He stated confidently. "It's ready to produce the nano-bytes."

"And you've left the ability to alter the controls remotely?" Superman asked as he leaned on the computer desk next to the Mad Hatter.

"Correct Superman." Jervis answered. "All you have to do is use this scanner over the body of the person or persons you've injected the nano-bytes into with the programming changes and the nano-bytes will do the rest."

Superman looked over to the smug little man that was obviously happy with his creation. "What means can be used to inject them into someone?" Superman asked as he clicked on the button to begin producing the nano-bytes. "Is there another method aside from injection with a needle and syringe?"

"Oh most certainly." Jervis replied. "You can use something like pressurized aerosol in through the nose, or simply by having the host ingest something that contains the nano-bytes. You could actually lace someone's food or even something as simple as their water. Really entry by any orifice would do if you want to get technical about it."

"It's ingenious." Superman said as he held up a container of the first produced batch of nano-bytes, inspecting them.

"So then I've earned my freedom?" Jervis asked.

"There's just one more thing I need from you, then you're free to go." Superman responded, which caused the Mad Hatter to perk up in attention as he was eager to have his freedom. Superman turned to him, placing one hand on Jervis' shoulder causing him to jump slightly. "I need you to show me how to use the scanner to program the nano-bytes and how to activate them."

"Certainly." Jervis stated after clearing his throat, pulling out the scanner he'd designed. "Entering the changes you wish could be numerous. You can use the nano-bytes to force the host to do whatever you input, and they'll be none the wiser of what is happening. Just scan the host's brain once you've input the desired command, and voila."

Superman took the scanner from Jervis and began typing a command into it. "So if say I wanted to have the nano-bytes block certain memories from the host, I could do that?" Superman asked. "Even if it would be multiple years worth?"

"That's correct." Jervis confirmed.

"That's all I need to know." Superman responded darkly before he took his hand that was still on Jeris' shoulder and pushed him hard into a wall. He then took the container of nano-bytes and inserted it into a syringe before injecting the nano-bytes into Jervis.

"Wha…..what are you doing?" Jervis nervously asked as Superman finished inputting the command he wanted and held the scanner up to Jervis' head. "I thought you were going to set me free after I helped you?"

"I said that I could get you set free, not that I would." Superman responded with a sinister smile plastered on his face. "I can't have anyone knowing about this, and the best way for that to remain is to have your memory of tonight removed entirely."

"Nooooo!" Jervis screamed as Superman enabled the scanner. Within seconds, the screaming from Jervis came to a stop and he stood there motionless; no longer fighting to get free. After a couple of seconds, he blinked a few times and then came to the realization of where he was and that he was being held against a wall by none other than Superman. "What am I doing here?" He asked. "What do you want from me Superman?"

"You should be happy Jervis because you're one of the lucky few that have been selected for re-education." Superman responded before picking Jervis up and tossing him into the phantom zone portal, causing the Mad Hatter to disappear. When Jervis' body was gone from sight, Superman returned his attention to producing the next batch of nano-bytes.

~~ Watchtower training room ~~

Nightwing had been keeping this false Shayera busy as she was trying to fight while at the same time reason with him. To this point, nothing had been said to convince him that he was on the on the wrong side. In fact, the knowledge that the real Hawkgirl was being held captive only seemed to strengthen his resolve against J'onn and his father. To ensure that he wasn't at a disadvantage, he made sure to steer away from the mace at all times, being sure to spin away whenever he felt that he was getting into a dangerous spot. All he had to do was keep this Shayera busy for as long as possible while being sure not to get caught in a compromising position in the process. "What do you hope to accomplish here?" Damien asked, finally breaking his silence. "Superman was your friend, and you're so willing to betray his trust."

"I've seen just what it is that Superman can become." J'onn answered in Shayera's voice. "When the white Martians attacked, I was forced to watch as my wife and child were taken from me. Superman has always been more powerful than the people of Earth, and now he's beginning to use that power to suppress and control them. I know what it feels like to be suppressed and ruled by a stronger species. It will never be a time of peace, but merely of subjugation."

"Maybe that's the only way that there can be peace for this world." Damien suggested as he pushed a side kick at the fake Shayera.

"You are truly lost if you believe that." Fake Shayera responded as the doors to the training facility opened, granting Cyborg and Raven entrance.

"Cyborg, contact Superman now!" Damien shouted. Before being met with the hilt of the mace to the side of his head.

Reacting quickly, Raven used her powers to contain Shayera while Cyborg ran over to check on Nightwing. As Cyborg helped him to his feet he questioned what was going on, and Nightwing explained that the Shayera before them was an imposter. "Superman just returned from the Fortress." Cyborg informed everyone after he'd made contact.

J'onn knew he was in an incredible amount of danger now, and needed to make an escape before it was too late. Using his telepathy, he attacked Raven's mind, forcing her to release her grip on him so that he could maneuver and find a way out. Unfortunately, that had been all the time that Superman needed to arrive in the training room. "What the hell is going on here?" Superman asked as he approached everyone.

"She's an imposter." Damien claimed, pointing directly at Shayera.

"Don't be ridiculous." Shayera responded. "I walked into the training room and this punk kid starts telling me that I'm an imposter and attacks me."

Superman turned back to Damien for a moment, and J'onn took a slow step towards the doorway. "What proof do you have Nightwing?" Superman asked.

"This." Nightwing said as he pulled out an incendiary batarang and threw it at Shayera. It exploded into a large ball of flames as soon as it connected, and J'onn could no longer contain his ruse as Hawkgirl. The flames were too painful to maintain his focus as he yelled in agony and transformed into his natural form.

"J'onn?" Superman asked in disbelief. "You betrayed me? Why?"

"I….remain on the same side….I've always been on." J'onn forced out as he climbed back to his feet. "That is on the side of the people of this planet, not those that wish to rule it."

"How could you think that's what I want?" Superman questioned as his anger began to rise. Knowing that J'onn was against him was a mighty blow to attaining his goals. He couldn't afford to have high powered Meta's falling against him. Suddenly his mind became filled with images as J'onn projected images of what had happened on Mars with the white Martians. At the same time though, J'onn also gleaned information for the Kryptonian's mind.

J'onn gasped as he read a specific idea that Superman was beginning to employ. "You plan to use Jervis Tech." He stated. "Just seeing that should tell you all you need to know about the folly of your supposed vision of peace."

Superman's eyes widened as he'd not expected his former friend to read his mind without consent. The fact that he used a trick to get to the information without notice only added to his anger. "You know that I can't allow you to leave with that information J'onn." He growled. "I'm going to have to detain you."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to comply with your detainment." J'onn responded before becoming incorporeal and phasing through the wall behind him. He needed to get to the teleporter immediately, and phasing through walls would be the best and most direct path.

"Find him!" Superman ordered. "He can't be allowed to leave the Watchtower!" Superman then punched his way through the wall, keeping an eye on where the Martian was headed by using his x-ray vision so that he could maintain his pursuit. J'onn eventually reached the teleporter room, and made his way over to the control panel, entering the necessary code and overrides to arrive in the Batcave where no one aside from Diana onboard the Watchtower would be able to follow. He was sure that she wouldn't follow either or give away that she had access to override the dampener. He stepped onto the teleporter just as Superman pounded through the last wall. "You're not leaving!" Superman yelled as his eyes began to glow red, but the white lights of the teleportation process had already begun to consume J'onn's body, and seeing that caused Superman to fire his heat vision at its full potency. He could hear J'onn screaming in agony for a few seconds before he disappeared completely. Superman marched over to the control panel and typed in the command to retrieve the last logged teleportation, but it only showed his arrival from the Fortress of Solitude. Now completely livid, Superman slammed his fist through the control panel.

~~ Batcave ~~

Bruce was putting the final details together for his plan to attain the durability enhancement supplement that Lex and Superman had created when the teleporter alarm sounded. He turned to see the white lights forming a body that was not in a standing position. Batman went down to the teleporter pad, and as he arrived he saw J'onn appear as the light fell away. J'onn was badly injured, with burns covering his entire body. "J'onn!" Batman yelled as he leapt onto the teleporter pad and began checking on the Martian's vitals.

"It…Its too…too late for….me." J'onn managed to spit out in between gasps for air.

"Don't speak J'onn." Batman ordered softly. "Save your energy. You're going to be alright."

J'onn began to choke and cough as Superman had hit him hard and hot enough that his internal organs were even damaged from the intensity of the heat. He tried to form words but his vocal chords had also been severely damaged, and he was in such immense pain he wasn't able to focus his thoughts long enough to create a mental connection with Batman to reveal everything that he'd learned, especially what he read about Jervis from Superman's mind. Each attempt to move was thwarted by Batman as the Dark Knight was working feverishly in an effort to ease his friend's pain. Eventually J'onn managed to take his hand and grab hold of Batman's gauntlet covered forearm, gaining the attention necessary to give one last attempt at getting out what Batman needed to know. "Di….Di…..Jerv…Jer." J'onn spit out before his body failed him completely and finally gave way to the burns and pain.

Batman stayed there kneeling at J'onn's side as he watched a trusted friend die in his arms. J'onn had to have been caught by Clark's heat vision from the looks of all the damage and burns to his body. That would mean Superman had to know Hawkgirl was being held. He needed to release the real Shayera as soon as possible before Clark put the pieces together. He also would have to put his plan of attaining the durability enhancement into play sooner than he'd wanted to, and that meant he'd need to formulate a distraction. Then there was Diana that he'd have to contend with. How was he going to get to her now without risking her safety in the process? He then looked back down at the fallen comrade before him. Bruce lowered his head and closed his eyes in a moment of respect for the last Martian. After a few moments of silence, Bruce lowered J'onn's head to the ground and slowly climbed up to his feet. "Rest easy my friend." He said solemnly to J'onn. "You've earned it."

Bruce then turned to the computer. He'd need his cape and cowl as he had a job to do now, and no loss could be permitted to stop the mission from continuing. Once the cowl was on, Bruce made two calls. The first was to Alfred where he instructed to have Shayera released. J'onn had managed to keep the belt and mace with him, so those could be placed with Shayera when she came to. The only important part of that plan was for no one to be around her when she did wake up. He knew that Shayera would likely be out for blood. Once that call was complete, he reached out to the second person he needed to make contact with. "Captain Atom." He called out. "This is Batman."

"Captain Atom here." Came the response. "What do you need Batman?"

"Two things." Batman instructed as he climbed into a new prototype Batwing. "I need an audience with the President, and then I need you to contact the team. We've got a mission to complete."

"I can set up your meeting with the President." Captain Atom responded. "He's at the White House as we speak. Who all from the team do you need for the mission?"

"Catwoman, Black Canary, and you." Batman answered. "This is going into enemy territory so we need a small strike team with stealth in mind."

"Alright." Captain Atom replied. "I'll have the President and the team at the underground facility in Roanoke, Virginia within three hours."

"I'll be there. Batman out." Bruce responded before shutting down the transmission. He fired up the new Batwing and jetted out of the cave just as he had hundreds of times before. He held the jet at a dangerously low altitude as he didn't want radar to pick anything up if the stealth mode were to malfunction. It'd be hard enough to avoid being picked up by satellite imagery as it was.

As Batman was gliding through the skies, he was overcome with the need to contact Diana. He had this gut feeling that she was in danger. Even though he knew it was dangerous for himself, he reached up for his communicator and changed over to Diana's secure Justice League channel. "Diana, please respond." He called.

Almost thirty seconds had gone before he started to panic. Had something happened to her? Was Superman responsible? Why wasn't she responding? He waited and his mind raced as one minute became two, then three. He wondered if he should call again when his thoughts were interrupted. "Diana here." She said as she finally responded.

Bruce let go of a breath that had been caught in his throat at finally hearing her voice. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Aside from you calling me in the middle of a conversation with Kal, I'm fine." Diana responded. "But since I'm on that topic, Kal is saying that you and J'onn captured Shayera and replaced her to spy on him. Is that true?"

Bruce didn't want to answer that question right now as he was filled with anxiety. He knew though that lying to her would only make it harder to get her to leave as well. He puffed out a frustrated breath, pinching the bridge of his nose in between his fore finger and thumb as he answered. "We had to know how far Clark was going to go. We made sure that she wasn't harmed and had no intention of keeping her held against her will for any long period of time."

"Why would you do something like that." Diana responded in a frustrated whisper. Someone had to have been close to her at that point.

"We'll go over that later I promise, but right now that's not the most important topic." Batman stated. "I need you out of there now. If you don't want to be near me because of Shayera, I can understand and respect that, but I need you to get as far away from Clark as possible."

"My Monitor Duty shift isn't over yet." Diana explained.

"To hell with Monitor Duty Diana!" Bruce raised his voice with concern etched into it. "Please, I need you to leave, now."

"What's going on Bruce?" Diana asked. "Why are you so consumed with getting me out of the Watchtower so soon? I thought you didn't want to raise any suspicion with me."

"J'onn's…" Batman stated before he heard click and knew that the connection had been killed. He attempted to bypass it, but without the super computer at the Batcave, he was no match for what had to be Cyborg's interference. Batman punched the gauge cluster in anger as he knew he couldn't divert from the task at hand to go up and get her himself. Without that supplement, any opposition against Clark would fall and fall quickly. He couldn't risk giving Superman any more time to prepare and mass produce the pill form enhancement.

~~ Watchtower ~~

"Batman?" Diana called into the communicator. "Batman, please respond." What had just happened she thought to herself. Bruce was just about to tell her something about J'onn when the connection cut off. While Batman was known for ending transmissions as soon as possible, he'd never cut off when he was in the middle of saying something. Unfortunately she wasn't able to keep reaching out as Superman came into view at the other end of the hall. He was still holding the iced mocha that he'd brought in for her to drink while she finished her Monitor Duty. He held a disarming smile that made her wonder just what it was about Superman that had Bruce acting so seemingly irrational. Superman came to a stop as he held out the cold drink, which Diana took readily from him. "Thank you Kal." She said as she watched him and looked for just what it was that Kal was doing there.

"Your shift seemed to end a little early today Di." Superman commented.

"I just needed to take a small break to reach out to a personal friend." She explained. "I was actually just about to head back."

"I'll join you so that we can finish what we were discussing before you excused yourself." Superman stated as he turned and walked beside Diana back to the Monitor Womb. Once inside the room Superman sat next to Diana as she checked over the monitors for any signs of trouble, but finding none. She noticed that Kal was almost fidgeting in his seat next to her, and that caused some level of concern to grow inside her. She'd never known Superman to be one that would fidget over anything ever since Lois had been killed.

"Is there something on your mind Kal?" Diana asked in an attempt to get Superman to open up and say whatever was likely on his mind.

"I don't know how to say this Di." Superman responded as he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "I know that you've gotten closer to Bruce recently, and that makes this even harder."

"What is it?" She gently prodded.

"I almost don't believe it myself, but I think we're going to have to do something about him before he goes too far." Superman answered.

Diana chuckled a little bit as she began to sip on the icy drink. "Don't be ridiculous Kal." She said in response. "Bruce may be a lot of things, but he never does anything without good reason."

"He's already kidnapped Shayera!" Superman fired back. "What more does he have to do before you see that he's against us, against this means of building a peaceful world, against me."

Diana scowled for a moment at Superman. "You're joking with me right now aren't you?" She asked. "Bruce would never turn against someone that wants the same thing in the end, and he does want peace. He just doesn't agree with your methods of building that peace. It's nothing personal against any of us."

Cyborg entered the Monitor Womb, promptly causing the conversation between Kal and Diana to end for the moment. She was glad that Cyborg had come in and interrupted them. She had to admit that she was more than a little upset about what Bruce had been involved with regarding Shayera, but he had at least been honest with her when she confronted him about it. She also wasn't lying when she told Kal that Bruce never did anything without a good reason, and although she didn't know what that reason was yet, she'd still give him the benefit of the doubt until he gave her reason not to. It was then that she noticed Cyborg had pulled Superman aside and was conversing with him about something, but she couldn't make out what it was. She kept a watchful eye on the two of them and noticed how Superman's facial expression slowly drifted into something that resembled anger. She wondered if this had something to do with why Bruce so vehemently tried getting her to leave regardless of her shift on Monitor Duty. After a few moments, Superman turned his attention back to Diana, and once again sat down next to her. He pulled some napkins from a drawer in the Monitor Duty desk, handing them to her. With a confused look about her face, Superman spoke to elaborate. "For your drink." He said. "Before the condensation from the sweaty cup gets into the circuitry. Without the funding from WayneTech, we need to take better care of things around here."

"Sorry Kal." She said while picking up the drink and swallowing it down in a few generous gulps. As soon as the cup was empty, she took aim and threw it into a nearby trash bin. She then looked at the clock and realized that it was Cyborg's turn to take over Monitor Duty before standing and making her way to the Monitor Womb doorway and stopping. "There's nothing to report on Victor." She said over her shoulder. "It was actually pretty quiet for a change."

Diana exited the room and headed straight to her personal quarters. She wanted to reach out to Bruce and find out what he had been saying before their conversation had been cut off. When she arrived there she sat down on her bed and enabled her communicator again, adjusting it to the frequencies that she knew the Batclan used. "Batman, this is Diana." She said. "Come in Batman." There was no response for a while, followed by some clicking and the beeping tone that occurred when a connection was broken off once again. She pulled the communicator out of her ear and looked it over for any obvious issues, but finding none. Just as a means of troubleshooting, she replaced the battery in it even though it had just been replaced a week ago. She made a second attempt and was met with the same results. Frustrated, she decided that since she was off Monitor Duty, she would simply teleport down and make contact in the Batcave.

Superman waited in the Monitor Womb until Diana was well out of hearing range before turning to Cyborg. "So Victor, what'd you find out?" He asked

"Not as much as I think you were hoping for." Cyborg answered as he utilized his mechanical eye piece to pull up images of his report, revealing all the findings that he had. "Batman's obviously careful to keep himself protected from any hacking attempts. The line was so secure that I couldn't hack into their conversation. I was just able to block the transmission and any other attempts….like the one that Wonder Woman is attempting right now."

"So you don't know anything about the conversation Batman was having with Diana?" Superman questioned.

"The only thing I can tell you is how long they were communicating before I ended the transmission." Cyborg explained.

Superman's brow creased in frustration before he turned on his heels and exited the Monitor Womb, leaving Cyborg wondering if his lack of information had angered Superman for entrusting him with such a task. Superman stomped his way over to his personal quarters quickly as he couldn't be sure just how much Batman had told Diana. Judging from her demeanor in defending him in the Monitor Womb, whatever he'd been able to share with her at the very least gave her pause to react to his involvement with Shayera's kidnapping. When Superman entered his room, he picked up the scanner from Jervis just as his communicator beeped.

~~ Underground facility - Roanoke, Virginia ~~

"So you just needed a diversion large enough to attract Superman's and the rest of the League's attention?" The President asked for confirmation.

"It's more than I want to ask of you or anyone..." Batman began.

"Nonsense, and besides it's already been set in motion." The President interrupted. "We can't just sit idly by and do nothing while Superman assumes control of the entire world."

"You do understand the risk that you and the government are potentially putting yourselves in don't you?" Batman asked. "If he finds out…."

"If he finds out it will be all for nothing if you aren't successful." The President interrupted. "Go and give the human race a fighting chance against him."

"Very well." Batman said as he turned to head back out and gather his team before stopping at the doorway and looking over his shoulder. "Thank you Mr. President." He said and then he was gone.

Batman walked out of the secure room that sat some fifty floors underground, and went up two floors to the area where Captain Atom had assembled the team he'd instructed. Upon entering the room, Bruce found that there was someone extra waiting for him. "What are you doing here Arrow?" He asked in an agitated voice.

Ollie walked straight up to Batman and pulled him aside and out of ear shot from everyone else. "Look Bats, you're not going to take Dinah into the fire without me coming along too I love her and she's going to be Queen someday." Ollie stated defiantly.

"I don't have time for this Ollie." Batman responded, not trying at all to hide the frustration from his voice. "If you come, you follow orders. No questions asked and nothing other than what you're ordered to do. If you can't handle that then you will stay behind. Is that clear?"

"Fine." Arrow answered while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Batman then turned back to the rest of the group. "We have a window approaching as we speak. Everyone follow me to the Batwing." Batman instructed. "I'll give everyone their orders when we're in the air."

They all made their way to the high speed elevator, and out to the hanger where the Batwing was located. This latest version was much more like a Javelin in the look and feel of the cockpit. It was just condensed in size slightly, giving it more of a sleek design. Everything else was an upgrade, as there was more power available and weaponry to choose from. When they were up in the air and heading towards the location of the Fortress of Solitude, Batman engaged the stealth mode and auto-pilot so that he could address his team. "Captain, when we're within range I want you to take Catwoman off ahead of us and drop her off at the main entrance." Batman barked out. "Selina, I need you to get us access as quickly and quietly as possible." Batman then looked at the rest of the group. "Arrow, you're with me once Catwoman gets us inside. I want Canary to be stationed just inside the entrance as a second line of defense in the event that Captain Atom can't stop any intrusion from happening. As soon as we retrieve what we're there for, Oracle will be standing by at the Batcave teleporter to transport all of us out."

"Standard smash and grab." Selina commented. "I wonder if we're the first ones to make an attempt at stealing something of Superman's. Sounds exciting."

"That's not important." Batman responded. "One last thing. This goes for all of you." Batman said before making eye contact with each person on the jet. "Do not engage except as a last resort. If anything goes wrong, I'm aborting the mission and getting all of us out of there. We can't afford to lose anyone."

"I thought this was very important." Ollie scoffed.

"What's important is saving lives." Batman fired back immediately. "Even each other's if at all possible. Don't make any unnecessary sacrifices. Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded their head in understanding, and Batman then turned back to the controls.

~~ Out Over Vietnamese Waters ~~

Superman, Green Lantern, and Raven were aboard a U.S. warship that had been approaching North Korean territory without any approval from that country. As a precaution, the North Koreans had sent out some of their own ships in the event that an attack were about to occur. As soon as Superman was teleported, he took it upon himself to rush down and forcefully stop the closest U.S. warship from its path. Once he had halted the ship, he ripped into the Captain's quarters. "Just what the hell are you doing?" He demanded.

"Following orders." The Captain responded.

"Who's orders?" Superman asked as he approached and grabbed the Captain by his shirt, lifting him up off of his feet. The Captain remained silent, refusing to give any more information up. Superman's eyes began to glow red as he scowled at the defiance he saw before him. If the Captain wanted to be difficult, then he was going to make things very uncomfortable. He used his heat vision, focusing on the Captain's shoulder where he began to slowly increase the power. The clothing started to turn black and smoke began the rise up as Superman's heat vision burned through the Captain's uniform. When his heat vision reached skin, it slowly built up in the amount of pain that the Captain was being forced to endure. He bit his lip as he tried to maintain control. The burning pain was beginning to wear on him though as it was quickly becoming agonizing. Soon he couldn't contain the pain laced scream that he finally released. No amount of squirming or suffering seemed to phase Superman though as he just continued to torture the Captain. Eventually he would break and spill whatever information he was attempting to hide. To help expedite the process, Superman started to move where his heat vision was focused, and that seemed to do the trick. "Okay! Okay!" The Captain yelled. "Orders…they came from the President. Please, just stop. I can't take it, please!"

Superman continued to burn the Captain for a few more minutes before he finally relented and tossed the Captain across the room, being sure that he slammed his head first into a wall. Superman then left the Captain there in an unconscious pile where he flew out to meet his own team. "We need a transport to Washington D.C." He said to Cyborg, who remotely input the commands, and they all disappeared in a blinding white light.


	12. Chapter 12: Mission To Even The Odds

Batman makes his move to even the score, but was the move worth it?

Chapter 12: Mission To Even The Odds

* * *

Everyone but Catwoman was standing outside the main entrance of the Fortress of Solitude. Captain Atom was currently seeking out a good position to keep watch while the others worked to retrieve the durability enhancer that Batman had informed them all about. A part of him hoped that this was just a wild goose chase. He'd found that he looked up to Superman as the golden standard of what it meant to be a hero, and if Batman's findings were right that would mean that his idol had ruined what he'd spent years building himself up as.

Batman was beginning to become impatient as they continued waiting on Selina to unlock the entrance for them. He'd selected her because of her superior skills at breaking and entering, but time was a key element here as the distraction that the President had ordered would only detain Superman for so long. No amount of warships would be enough to stop him, especially if he had Diana there to help out. Shaking himself from his thoughts, his impatience finally took over. "Selina….Report." He barked out through the team communicator channel.

"Don't get your tights in a bind Batman." Selina mockingly replied. "I've almost…...There. Got it." Selina stood back as the entrance gates opened to rejoin her with her team. "What did I tell you?"

"Good work Selina." Batman admitted as he led everyone else into the Fortress. "Everyone knows their roles. Stick to the plan."

Batman, Green Arrow, and Catwoman all spread out and made their way through the Fortress searching for the mission objective. Bruce used his personal knowledge with Clark to help him in deducing the most likely places that the supplement would be held. From where he was at in the Fortress, he'd have to walk through the area where the living quarters were located to get to the secure area that Clark most likely would've used in testing out the supplement. He was slightly surprised by the guests that he found to be sitting in the living area upon his opening of the doors. "Martha and Jonathan Kent I presume." Batman announced after shaking off the slightly dumbstruck demeanor from the site of the Kents sitting in front of him.

~~ Underground facility in Roanoke VA. ~~

Superman spun his body around as he quickly descended from up in the sky down into the ground next to a seemingly inconspicuous office building, drilling his way through the Earth's surface. He was quickly met by layers and layers of concrete and steel. When he finally broke through, he turned and found an elevator shaft, which he used to dive down, even ripping through the elevator itself along his way, and within mere moments, he had reached fifty floors below the Earth's surface. Smashing his way through the doors, Superman was quickly met in a haze of tear gas and gunfire as secret service men and woman worked diligently to protect the President. Unfortunately, this facility was created in the event of a nuclear war, not for an intruding alien Kryptonian and there was no escape for the President to get to in order to avoid the angered Superman. With one mighty push of his breath, Superman blew members of the Secret Service down and away along with the tear gas smoke. It didn't take long at all to scan the floor and locate where the President was, and he made quick work of getting there. A few Secret Service men stepped in his path, but that only proved to be ill advised on their parts as Superman backhanded each one of them out of his way as he stomped towards the man he held responsible for the actions around the Korean peninsula. "What do you think you're down President Johnson?" Superman barked as he lunged across the desk that sat between the President and him, gripping Johnson by the shirt and dragging him over the desk so that they were face to face. "Did you really think you'd get anywhere with a decision like this?"

"I'm doing what's best for the people of this world." The President argued. "North Korea is a violent country. Their leaders don't understand anything other than military strength."

"Their not the ones that did anything, you did!" Superman accused. "Did you think just because I was raised in this country that I'd show leniency to the United States? As far as I'm concerned you and this government are no better than any other country. You don't care about peace, you only care about gaining power."

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" The President fired back before immediately regretting speaking up against the Man of Steel. Especially based upon the glowering look he was receiving because of it.

Superman slowly lowered the President down until his feet were no longer dangling in the air. He made a sudden jerking motion shortly after that, bringing the President nose to nose with him. "I was willing to let the governments have a role in achieving real world peace, but greedy power hungry politicians like you can never have enough can you?" Superman asked rhetorically. "If that's the case, then maybe I do need to take control. At least until I've helped to mold and perfect this world into that of a land consumed with peace. One where no loved ones will be lost because of someone else."

"Wha…what are you talking about?" The President asked. "Democratic countries vote in their leaders. You can't do this."

"Mr. President." Superman stated. "Elected or not, your services are no longer…."

"Superman come in." Cyborg interrupted through the communicator.

Superman growled in anger at the interruption. "What is it?" He spit out.

"Reaction from the U.S. warship movement." Cyborg answered. "North Korea and China are reacting to the aggressive stance that the U.S. was taking. Nightwing's also requesting that he be teleported to your location."

"Have Green Lantern and the Flash teleport out and stop any acts of aggression." Superman ordered. "Go ahead and send Nightwing down."

Superman wondered just what it was that Damien could possibly want that made him feel the need to reach out, but as a trusted member of the team and of Bruce's lineage, Superman knew that there would be a good reason for seeking out his council. It wasn't long before Damien appeared in a flash of bright light, and he immediately walked over to some monitors before typing in commands to pull up various satellite feeds and images. "Surely you see what's going on Superman." Damien announced as he continued typing.

"What are you talking about ?" Superman asked.

"My father." Damien answered simply. "This entire thing reeks of his planning and manipulation. He's creating discord around the world to keep us busy."

Superman's head snapped back into the direction of the President with a questioning look evident in his features. "You're helping Batman?" He asked in disbelief. "Why?"

"Because he needed it." The President answered as he struggled to attempt freeing himself from the Man of Steel's grasp.

"What is Batman doing?" Superman continued to interrogate, but the President remained silent. He didn't have time for such things, so he grabbed hold of a finger, and with a simple pinching move, snapped the bone. The President screamed in pain, and Superman took another finger, repeating his previous move for good measure. "Answer me!" He demanded. "I still have 204 more bones to go if you're not going to cooperate."

The President grimaced as he tried to center himself and better control the amount of pain that he'd received. He held strong until Superman grabbed one of his thumbs next. "NO, Wait!" He pleaded. "I'll talk, I'll talk. Just please stop."

"You've got two seconds to start talking." Superman stated.

"He….He needed a distraction." The President responded. "He didn't say for what."

"I don't believe you." Superman said just before snapping the thumb in half. He quickly tossed the President into a wall, knocking him unconscious, and then Superman turned his attention to the screens Damien had pulled up. After scanning all of the videos and images, he moved his focus solely onto Damien. "Head back up to the Watchtower, Nightwing." He ordered. "I'm going to find Batman, and when I do, I want you to have Cyborg send Diana to my location. Then focus on locating Shayera. We need to make sure that she's freed."

Damien hesitated for a moment after hearing Superman's orders. Why was he asking to have Diana join him? Sure they had pinpointed J'onn as the leak within the League, but Damien knew that Diana and his father shared a special bond, even if they had never acted on it. Not wanting to defy Superman's orders though, he nodded his head, and made the call to Cyborg so that he could be transported back up to the Watchtower. Once aboard he relayed the order to Cyborg and went to researching any information he could find that would help to locate where Shayera was being held. It had to be one of Batman's many different bases of operations throughout the eastern seaboard as he already knew most of the locations within Gotham and his father wouldn't let a detail like that get by him.

Superman rose up into the sky, flying farther and farther upward until he could hear nothing around him. With that extreme silence, Superman could focus his hearing over various parts of the world at a time. Eventually he'd either pick up Bruce's voice or hear someone talking to Bruce in a manner that would help to identify it was him and just where he was.

~~ Back at the Fortress ~~

"The mission's over." Batman barked out. "Everyone pull back."

"We haven't found what we came here for yet." Green Arrow argued. "Why are we stopping now?"

"Because if Clark shows up, we're all dead." Batman answered. "His parents are here. If he finds us then he'll take it as if we're trying to use them to get to….."

"Wait Batman, please." Jonathan Kent said, interrupting Batman. "What are you really here for?"

"Superman's created something that could give him the power to enslave the entire world if he's the only one with access to it." Batman explained. "We came here to take it and even the odds, but with you here the risk is too great."

"We can show you where it's it." Martha offered. "Please don't go until you have the pills."

"Why are you helping us when we're against your son?" Green Arrow asked.

"Because our son needs help from someone that would truly have his best interests at heart." Jonathan explained as he turned to face Batman squarely. "Years ago, Clark told us about you Batman, and how of every member of the Justice League…you were the one he respected the most. He said that you never act on emotion or impulse, and we're hoping he wasn't wrong about you because I hope that you use this to help save our boy."

"I'd like to help Clark." Batman started. "But I think he might've gone too far to come back from this already."

Jonathan lowered his head in shame at knowing how far his son was falling and had fallen. Martha buried her face into Batman's chest, pleading while fighting off the sobs and tears that were pouring out. "Please, help our son." She begged. "Clark isn't beyond saving, I know it."

"We'll do everything we can, and if it's possible, then Batman is definitely the man that will find a way." Green Arrow offered as comfort to the Kents.

"Follow me then." Jonathan stated as he turned to lead them to the room that contained all of the pills that Lex Luthor had created for Superman up until that point, before they were interrupted by what felt like an earthquake.

"HE'S HERE!" Dinah shouted through the communicator. "Atom engaged him to keep him from getting inside. We haven't got long so you've got to hurry."

"We need the supplement now." Batman said as he helped Jonathan Kent to his feet. The elder man quickly gained his bearings and led Batman into the room, knowing the access code as his son was only so clever when it came to trying to keep things from his parents. When they entered the room, Jonathan went straight for the pills, but Batman stopped shortly after walking into the room. He looked around and noticed something else. Walking up to a computer and a machine, there was a display on the screen that read _Continue Production_. Batman clicked on the radio button to continue, and the machine came to life, filling a vial with something that looked like liquid metal. The vial filled quickly, and the machine began to move another vial in until Batman typed in an abort command, ceasing the production. He took the filled vial and sealed it before placing it into an empty compartment within the utility belt just as Jonathan walked over to him with an entire tray of pills in his hands. Batman reached into his evidence pouch and pulled out an evidence bag, where he took the tray and dumped the pills into the bag before inserting it back into the evidence pouch. "Thank you." He said to Jonathan.

"Just please stop our son from what he's going to do." Jonathan requested.

"I'll do everything I can." Batman responded. "You have my word."

From outside the Fortress, Superman was dueling with Captain Atom for control of the fight. The two men seemed to be evenly matched, especially after Atom altered his radiation to match that of the red sun that was found to be around where Krypton was supposed to have been located. He knew that it'd weaken the Kryptonian, even though it might not have been for very long at a time. Captain Atom was making sure that the red sun radiation was not poorly utilized as he attacked the Man of Steel head on so as to not waste any chance of gaining the upper hand. As the two men locked together in battle, Superman was snarling at Captain Atom. "I should've known that you'd be involved when I ran into your former employer." Superman snapped.

"Former?!" Captain Atom questioned just before Superman used leverage to toss him into a small glacier that stood next to the Fortress. He quickly got back to his feet though and intercepted Superman with a blast of red radiation, allowing him to pounce on top of the Man of Steel and start leveling him with haymakers.

Superman began to block the vicious strikes, looking for an opening to get Captain Atom off the top of him. "After I'm through with you all here, I'm going to take control of the United States government." Superman explained as he caught one hand and gave a mighty tug, pulling Atom off and back into the same glacier with enough force that it caused a crack to begin splitting along the side of it.

Captain Atom didn't have much chance to recover from that toss as Superman began throwing lefts and rights back and forth. Captain Atom managed to catch Superman's arms by the wrist one arm at a time, and he delivered a thunderous headbut. "What's gotten into you?" He asked. "Are you trying to make this world believe you're a god?" Atom began to wear down the Kryptonian as the red sunlight radiation was beginning to take its toll. Atom could actually feel the discrepancy in power between himself and Superman at that point. "I think you've just about had enough." He stated when Superman fell to his knees after yet another headbut.

"No, you're the one that's done." Came the voice of a confident female from behind him.

Back inside the Fortress, Batman, Catwoman, and Green Arrow had made their way back to the main entrance where Black Canary was waiting on them. "Alright Canary, I need you to find a clear shot and fire your sonic cry to create some space." Batman ordered. "As soon as we do that, all of us are to get over next to Atom immediately and we'll be teleported away."

They all turned to face the ensuing battle between Superman and Atom as the two high powered beings fought for control. Neither one was backing down from the other, and the fight still seemed to be evenly matched for the most part. At one point, Superman's attention moved to the group of heroes, but that ended up being a mistake that Captain Atom exploited as he slammed Superman in the nose with a violent elbow. The strike was powerful enough that it almost caused Superman's eyes to water as he was sent back a few steps. Dinah saw her opening to create more distance for an escape with her Canary Cry as she drew in a deep breath and began to release the cry.

Suddenly Diana slammed down just in front of Black Canary with her shield at the ready to intercept and block the sonic blast, driving her back as she kept her feet planted firmly. Captain Atom saw this and ran over to engage Diana, but was halted just as he was almost within reach of her by two powerful Kryptonian hands that had latched onto his shoulders. Reacting naturally to an enemy coming up from behind, Diana spun around with her sword in hand, made a thrusting motion that impaled the alien suit which encased all of the radioactive energy. Captain Atom placed his hand over the open wound after Diana removed the sword, but he knew he couldn't stop the release of energy that was about to come exploding out. Perhaps though he could use his death to the advantage of the American people by taking Superman with him. He wrapped his other arm around Superman's midsection and took off into the air, shooting up through the Earth's atmosphere as he held onto Superman with every ounce of strength that he could muster. Superman reached back and pounding away in an attempt to free himself, but Atom was not going to be denied and refused to allow Superman to escape as he continued climbing up towards the heavens.

Dinah and Ollie exchanged knowing looks before Dinah let loose another Canary Cry, knocking Diana down as she was attempting to follow after Superman and Captain Atom. As soon as Dinah's cry stopped, Ollie shot out an arrow that released a Meta strength netting as it impacted Diana, wrapping around her and causing her legs to pull together and thusly dropping her on her backside.

"Oracle." Batman called into the communicator. "Leave Bravo 1 Mega, collect Charlie, Gamma, Delta. Atom didn't make it. Ready Bravo 1 Mega for my next mark."

"Gotcha B." Oracle responded before a white light consumed Catwoman, Arrow, and Canary, disappearing with puzzled looks on their face as they were all teleported away.

Batman walked over to Diana, who was struggling to get free from the netting. She meant her eyes to the lenses of his cowl, and held a look of contempt in them. Batman was slightly taken aback by her expression, but he did well to hide it as he knelt down beside her, but still well out of reach should she have tried anything. "What happened Diana?" He asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" Diana spat back as she continued fighting to get free.

"I thought for a second that it was just an act until you stabbed Captain Atom." Batman said.

"He's a traitor to us." Diana responded. She felt the netting slowly starting to give way, and just needed to keep Batman talking. Superman had told her that she could be the key to stopping him. Referring to her as Batman's Kryptonite. He had explained that Batman always wanted what he couldn't have, and the last time he'd attacked her when she had refused his proposal and the end result of that attack led to her lost memories. She couldn't recall that attack happening, but accounted that as just one of the many lost memories that Batman had caused.

"What changed so much to cause you to side with Clark?" Batman asked, interrupting her from her thoughts.

"You did." She seethed through clenched teeth as she continued to strain. Just a little more she thought. "What you've done is inexcusable."

"What I've done?" Batman asked as he felt the heat begin to rise in his blood. What had caused Diana to start acting like he was nothing more than an enemy to her? "I'm the only thing in this damn world that hasn't changed." Batman argued as he rose to his feet. "Apparently even you."

She watched as Batman reached one of his hands up beside his cowl covered face. She figured that he was about to put a call out to his Oracle and teleport away. She was so very close to being free though, and she could end this little rebellion before it truly got started if she could detain Batman for Superman. "Going to run away, coward?" She called out to goad him into hesitating, and he did more than that.

Batman looked down at Diana. He didn't want to believe that she had been baiting him the entire time, but he could see that she was almost free. However losing Diana caused him to almost not care anymore. Fighting against her was something he didn't care to do, no matter the cost. He reached up with his other hand and unlocked the latches as he removed the cowl to reveal his face to her. Diana paused upon seeing that face. There was something…familiar about it. If she had to admit it, there was an attraction that she felt, but it had to be more of Batman's manipulative ways that was drawing her in. Then she saw something she'd not expected. A look of emotion on his face. Every memory she had of Batman was of him being cold and calculating. An emotionless bastard that also preyed on women using his riches and good looks as his alter ego. She wanted so much to hate him at this very moment, but there was something deep inside her that felt hating this man was wrong. Especially when she saw the look of hurt and if she believed it, possibly heartbreak. Why had he removed a piece of his protective armor before her? "I don't want to run away Princess." He spoke softly and full of sorrow. "Not from you." Batman closed his eyes, and she knew that was her chance. She tugged with all her might, finally ripping free of the netting. Diana immediately flew up to lunge at Batman. She needed to get to him before….

"Go." He said simply, and a white light surrounded him before he disappeared. Diana flew through the white light, but it was too late. Batman had escaped. Diana growled in frustration before realization came to her. Superman was still in danger. She immediately shot up into the air after him. She would have to be quick to have any chance. Without Superman to lead the soon to be established government, it could quickly fall into ruins.

Up in the inner atmosphere, Superman was working hard to free himself, but to no avail. He was pummeling Captain Atom relentlessly, but the man was ignoring all attacks and remained focused on keeping Superman in his grips. He had no chance to survive and therefore was managing to keep hold as that was the only thing left he had to lose. Superman looked up for a moment as he caught movement from his peripheral view to see a fast approaching Diana. He wondered if she had successfully taken care of the rest of Bruce's group and stopped them from whatever they were doing. "She's too late to save you Superman." Captain Atom stated, bringing Superman's attention back to the man that had pulled him away. "Let's see if you can survive this!"

Captain Atom's body convulsed for a second before a force of energy the likes of which Superman had never felt before. The explosion that came about from Captain Atom was so powerful and large. Superman was knocked unconscious almost immediately, and his suit melted away from his body due to the heat and the amount of radiation that had surrounded him at that moment.

As Diana was closing in, she could see a small flash of light just before the massive explosion of energy and radiation protruded out, engulfing Superman. Diana was too close to avoid being hit with the violent explosion as she tried her best to shield herself, but her skin began to blister instantly causing her to scream in pain. What she felt was agonizing as she began to plummet down to the Earth's surface. The air felt like a belt sander ripping against her burned flesh as she descended, but she was fighting to just remain conscious, and could barely manage to even slow herself down. Suddenly she felt her molecules ripping apart and a familiar light engulfed her. The next thing she saw were the metallic walls of the teleporter room. "Diana!" She heard a familiar female voice call out. Diana fought and opened her eyes, squinting slightly as she ignored the pain from the burns on her face as she focused on the woman that knelt down next to her.

It couldn't be possible she thought to herself. "Sh….Shayera?" She questioned before everything finally went black.

~~ The Batcave ~~

Green Arrow threw his hands up in the air in obvious frustration. "What were you thinking?" He asked incredulously.

"She would've died." Batman responded as he left the controls of the Batcave teleporter.

"But you gave her right back to them!" Green Arrow fired back. "Why not just paint bull's-eyes on our backs while you're at it! If Superman didn't survive…."

"He did." Batman interrupted.

Green Arrow paused with his argument for a moment upon hearing that. There was no way even Superman could survive an explosion so powerful from point blank range. "How can you be so sure?"

"It doesn't matter." Batman responded. "We need to divide up. I've got some research to do, and when I'm done, I'll contact all of you."

"So that's it?" Green Arrow asked, still not believing what he was hearing. "Atom's gone and we're supposed to just go into hiding?"

"We can't face Superman and Wonder Woman together." Catwoman interjected. "Until we know what these pills can do, we need to lay low."

"That's easy for you to say." Dinah chimed in. "You're used to that."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Selina asked, raising her voice in anger at the bird girl. Didn't she know that birds were prey to cats?

"Silence, all of you!" An order was barked in an English accent, revealing Alfred as he finished walking down the stairs in the Batcave. "We mustn't have nor condone fighting within our ranks. The world is at stake, and each of you needs to become a well organized team now more than at any other time." Bruce was pacing about the cave when Alfred continued to lecture the group on the importance of them all staying together, especially in the face of such an imposing and powerful adversary. As he had done several other times in the past, Alfred seemed to have a quality that always returned a tension filled situation back to a more calm and logical state. It didn't go unnoticed though that the faithful butler and surrogate father figure kept glancing over to Bruce. He was obviously concerned about the man that he'd raised ever since that fateful night when Bruce was eight years old.

Bruce continued pacing about while the others in the group continued to converse about what the next steps would be. Eventually they gave up waiting on Batman to back off on his stance about dividing until he'd researched the durability enhancement pills at the very least. None of them knew that he had also grabbed something else from Superman's safe haven. Eventually Ollie and Dinah made their exits, followed afterwards by Barbara, whose father had come by to pick her up. She had set up a pattern where she would spend time with Alfred and Bruce as they were Dick's family, and his funeral only added to the number of visits that she "felt the need" to do as she'd told her father how Alfred was like a wonderful grandfather, and Bruce like a loving uncle. Alfred retired to the Manor with Barbara and remained up there as he prepared dinner.

Selina remained in the Batcave watching Bruce as he absentmindedly paced around the cave. Selina removed her mask as she stood there, hoping that Bruce would snap out of whatever funk he was in. She eventually moved over to where he was pacing back and forth, forcing him to either move or walk right into her if he wanted to continue. Instead he stopped in front of her, his eyes locked onto hers as she reached over and took his cowl away that he'd been holding in his hand the ever since he'd been teleported to the Batcave. He didn't even hide his identity from Green Arrow, who was shocked at finding Batman to be the aloof, playboy Bruce Wayne. Selina tossed the cowl gently aside as her eyes never broke contact with his. She noticed something in his eyes, but couldn't quite figure out just what it was. "What are we supposed to do Bruce?" She asked as she placed a hand gently onto the chest plate of his Batsuit.

Bruce looked down at Selina's hand resting against his chest, and then back up to meet her eyes. His eyes noticeably narrowed and he reached for the compartments that held what they'd taken from Superman. "I'm going to find out what these are for." He said as he removed her hand from his chest and made his way over to the lab.

"That's the Bat that we all know and love." Selina lightly kidded as she followed him over to the lab area. "Is there anything I can do to help you speed up this process?"

"Do you know much about forensic science?" Batman asked as he carefully separated one of the pills, and inserted each piece into his mass spectrometer before pressing some buttons and activating the device. He glanced up at Selina, who hadn't answered his question because he already knew the answer himself. She stood with a hand on her hip, waiting for instructions as she wanted to help. Bruce snorted slightly before pointing to a drawer. "Third drawer from the right, get me a new slide for the microscope."

Selina pulled open the drawer and located what Batman had asked for, handing it to him and watching as he pulled out a vial with something liquid inside it. "What is that?" She asked.

"I don't know, but I think it was important." Batman responded as he took a very small amount from the vial and placed it onto the slide before inserting the slide into the microscope. "I'll find out soon enough what it is, and then we can find out what Kent planned to do with it."

Bruce moved over to a screen with a keyboard in front of it, and typed in a password, which caused the screen to power up while some lights on the advanced Microsoft also turned on at the same time. Selina moved over just behind Bruce, watching him work as he adjusted the view. It quickly became clear that he was controlling the microscope and the image on the screen was what he'd placed onto the slide that came from the vial taken from the Fortress of Solitude. Bruce studied the image carefully before he zoomed in closer. Occasionally he'd pause, looking at something on the screen intently before moving on to another area of the slide or zooming in even further. Selina was awestruck from having watched how meticulously Bruce worked to find every clue or detail. He was the most thorough man she'd ever meant, especially when it came to research or evidence collection. In essence, Bruce never failed to impress her.

Bruce worked diligently for well over an hour on the substance before he finally looked away from the computer screen. By that time Selina had already found a chair, and was half asleep as she was holding her head up with her fist as her elbow was propped up against the armrest of the chair she was lounging in. When Bruce cleared his throat, she perked up to hear what he'd found. "Superman's creating nanites or nano-bytes." Bruce explained. "I've isolated one of them and need to have the computer run a scan and diagnostic against it to see what the nanite is programmed for."

Selina stretched and yawned as she responded. "How long is that going to take?" She asked.

"A few hours." Bruce responded. "You're obviously tired. Go upstairs and get some sleep. I'm sure Alfred will have a guest room prepared for you."

Selina was hurt slightly at finding that Bruce didn't offer his bed to her, but she did her best to hide it. Too bad for her that he knew her so well, as by his facial expression alone, she could tell that he'd noticed. "Can't blame a girl for wanting to see if the old fire can be stoked." She commented. "What about you? You need some rest too."

"I'll be up in a little bit." Bruce responded before turning back to the screen and looking into it again. "Go, get some rest. I'll let you know when I find something."

Selina yawned again as she stood up from her seat. "Alright Bruce." She conceded. "But promise me you'll get some rest too."

"As soon as I finish looking into this last item, I'll get some rest." Bruce responded.

Somewhat reluctantly, Selina left Bruce to his lab work. Bruce stayed focused on the monitor screen until he heard the cave entrance close and was sure that Selina hadn't stayed behind. He then made his way over to the Cray supercomputer and began to input various commands into it. A window popped up that was pitch black at first, but eventually some static appeared followed by a blurry picture. Some more tweaking from Bruce caused the window to clear up revealing a video feed of the Watchtower medical wing quarters. He began flipping from camera to camera until he found the one that showed Diana in a medical bed passed out. From the video, Bruce could make out various third degree burns as well as some scorched hair. She looked like she'd been at almost point blank range when Captain Atom's energy finally exploded. He'd never seen her with such severe injuries before, and her health greatly concerned him. He had no doubts now that had he not acted and teleported her to the Watchtower, she'd never have survived the fall.

Bruce began flipping through all of the camera feeds within the Watchtower. He went through them two more times and confirmed that Superman was either extremely adept at avoiding the cameras, or he simply wasn't aboard the Watchtower. Realizing that, a thought occurred to Bruce. It was extremely dangerous even if Superman wasn't aboard the Watchtower. He looked over the progress of the mass spectrometer and the computer driven diagnostic scan. According to the progress percentage on each, he still had a couple of hours to wait before the diagnostic would complete, while the mass spectrometer still needed a little over an hour. He then noticed a shiny bald head moving across the video feed of the Watchtower, and that made his decision all the more easy. Bruce pressed another button on the console, and waited patiently.

"Yes sir." Alfred stated through the video teleconference.

"I need you down in the cave Alfred." Bruce instructed.

~~ Outer Space ~~

Hal Jordan was scanning the area for Superman with his power ring as Cyborg followed closely behind on a Javelin. "You're sure this is the location?" Hal questioned.

"Yeah GL." Cyborg confirmed. "According to my sensors, this is where the explosion happened. Even if he didn't live, his body should be here somewhere. Maybe gravity from the Earth caused him to pull away from here after some time."

Green Lantern continued to scan as he widened the search to orbit around the Earth. Once he felt the gravity begin to pull him, he allowed it to do so until he discovered the actual direction that gravity was pulling. Increasing his speed, he continued along that pass, and made it a quarter of the way around the planet. "Found him." He announced before using his ring to reach out and grab Superman by the waist, pulling him over towards where Cyborg was settling the Javelin in an orbital spin.

"How's he doing?" Cyborg asked.

Aside from the completely ruined uniform, you'd be hard pressed to even find an injury on him." Hal answered. "He still needs medical treatment though since he's unconscious. Let's get him back to the Watchtower."

Hal entered the through the back of the Javelin and was surprised to see that once he had pressurized the area, Superman's eyes began to flutter. "Welcome back Superman." He said as the Man of Steel opened his eyes and began looking around at his surroundings.

"What happened?" Superman asked as he sat up to see Cyborg and Hal there with him. "Where's Diana, Shayera, Flash?"

"They're all aboard the Watchtower Supes." Cyborg answered.

"When Barry and I stopped the war ships from the U.S. and North Korea, we teleported back and Shayera was there already." Hal added. "We checked her out and confirmed that it really was her in case you were concerned, but the thing we had to worry about next was Diana's condition."

"Yes…." Superman said as he rubbed one side of his head. He was going to have a headache for a few days he assumed. "She came after me….tried to get to me before Captain Atom exploded."

"That explosion was Captain Atom?!" Hal asked in surprise. "We could see that from the planet's surface. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Superman responded. "What's Diana's condition?"

"She'll be alright." Cyborg answered. "Her enhanced healing was already taking effect before we left to find you."

"Why would Captain Atom go up against you though?" Green Lantern asked. "For his country?"

"No." Superman said coldly. "He did it for Batman, just like J'onn."

"J'onn took Batman's side?" Hal questioned.

"I took care of him when he tried to escape after impersonating Shayera while Batman held her against her will." Superman explained. Batman's down to Black Canary and the rest I'm not concerned about. What it concerning is the fact that United States also acted accordingly to help Batman with his plan."

"What was his plan?" Hal asked.

Superman's eyes widened as he realized that Superman hadn't thought about the Fortress of Solitude up to that point. "I need to find out what Batman was doing at the Fortress." He stated as he began to make his way to the back of the Javelin.

"We'll all go down." Hal announced, causing Superman to stop in his tracks and turn around.

"I appreciate it Hal, but I think I can manage on my own." Superman responded. "You both get back to the Watchtower. Get everyone gathered for when I come back. We're going to hold a meeting to discuss Luthor's project moving forward and what to do about Batman and his little gang of troublemakers."

~~ Watchtower ~~

A bright light appeared in an empty medical recovery room not too far from where Diana was resting. As badly as he wanted to, he knew that his time was limited, and he had another objective. When he was certain that his position was secure, he reached up and enabled his communicator. "I'm in." He stated. "Where's he located?"

"Mr. Luthor is in the main conference room sir." Alfred stated. "According to the monitor videos, you need to move in ten seconds straight there before another hero enters the hallway."

"Bruce quickly flipped open a compartment on his utility belt, pulling out the tool he'd need as he slipped up to the main entrance of the medical wing. He worked silently as he removed the ventilation shaft grate gaining him the access he'd need to get to the conference room. He just managed to finish replacing the grate as a doctor walked in through the medical wing entrance doors. Bruce held tight for a moment until the doctor was far enough away to miss any noises that Bruce's body weight might have caused when moving through the vents.

Alfred used the tracking beacon to direct Bruce to his desired destination, and within a few minutes, he was looking at the bald head through a ventilation grate above. Batman then flipped open the computer on his right gauntlet and issued some commands, which affected the security cameras inside the conference room. Lex heard the security cameras making a small noise as they powered down, and he looked up, puzzled as he saw the last of the three cameras shutting down. He didn't have any time to react as he heard the ventilation grate dropping followed by two feet landing behind him. Lex thought about running, but knew better than to do that with Batman. Instead he raised his arms in surrender and slowly turned around. "You know, you took an incredible risk coming here for me." He stated.

"I didn't come here for you Luthor." Batman retorted. "I just have some questions that need answers, and you're the man I need to talk to."

"Why me?" Luthor asked.

"Don't play dumb." Batman fired back. "It doesn't suit you and I don't have time for it. I'll make this easy for you Lex, what exactly is Project Icarus?"

"I don't know…." Luthor started to answer before Batman shoved him over against a wall and pulled out a pill from his utility belt.

"I'll find out one way or another." Batman stated before he released Luthor. "Lex, I know Clark's your friend, but the man that you knew is gone."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Lex asked, this time legitimately asking a question.

"Think about it Lex." Batman urged. "Clark killed Joker. Then he killed millions of Apocalypse forces, and then J'onn, who was one of his most trusted friends. I need to know exactly what this does so that I can stop him before he continues down this path and assumes too much control and power."

Lex sighed as he took in what Batman had said. If Superman had actually killed J'onn in cold blood, then perhaps his parents and Batman were right about him. "Alright." He said. "I'm sure you know that it's a durability enhancer for the host. It's designed to increase the host's bone and tissue's tensile strength by several thousand percent."

"Are there any side effects?" Batman asked.

"No." Lex answered simply. "All you have to do is swallow it. The effects are almost instantaneous once the pill's contents are in the blood stream. You'd still be nowhere near as strong as Superman himself, but it should catch you up to just under someone like Wonder Woman's strength depending on the host. Is there anything else?"

"Yes." Batman answered as he replaced the pill into the utility belt while pulling out the vial that contained the nanites. "What else did Superman have you working on?"

Lex had a puzzled look on his face as he reached for the vial and looked it over. "Whatever this is, Superman didn't have me build it." Lex answered as he returned the vial.

Batman placed the vial back into his utility belt when he heard the cameras beginning to warm up. His time window had closed. Any longer and someone would catch on. He used a grapple to latch onto the grate before climbing up onto the conference table and looking back down at Lex. "One last piece of advice for you Lex." He said. "Get away from Superman as fast as you can without raising his suspicion. If you don't, you'll regret it later. I think he's already started doing something to his colleagues in order to sway them over to his side entirely without question."

Lex was once again puzzled, but a slight thud sound from outside the conference room door gained his attention, and by the time he looked back up to the vent the grate had already been reinstalled and Batman was gone. No wonder so many criminals were scared of the Dark Knight, Lex thought to himself. Batman was quite intimidating, and moved silently. The door to the conference room then slid open to the sound of Hal Jordan joking with the Flash as they walked into the conference room side by side. Lex found himself at that point wondering if it was luck that was on Batman's side or if he was just that good with timing. Shaking his head, he went back to work setting up everything that Superman had asked him to bring along.

Batman worked his way back over to the medical wing, but instead of climbing out of the vent where he'd originally entered, he chose to bypass that and worked his way down to Diana's room. There were no doctors to be found, and he tapped into the camera feed in her room to see that there were also no visitors. Determining that the coast was clear, he reached up to his communicator once more. "Alfred, I need you to be at the ready." He said. "If I say go, I need you to teleport me immediately out of here."

"Very well sir, but please do be careful." Alfred responded.

Bruce worked to open the vent grate in order to grant him access to Diana's room, and he quietly slipped into the room once the grate was removed. Being sure to remain quiet, he replaced the grate and only then did he make his way over to Diana's bed. Even with all her injuries, she was still as beautiful as he could ever remember. Bruce could tell by the scrunched look on her face that Diana was still clearly in pain and at the very least incredibly uncomfortable. Bruce eventually pulled the medical chart at the end of the bed and glanced through it to find that Diana was going to be alright. With her healing abilities, she'd likely be without even a single scar in the very near future. After he was finished with it, he placed the medical chart back and returned to her bedside. He leaned in slightly and gently brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face, tucking them behind her ear. Diana seemed to lean her head towards his hand when he did that, and it made him wonder if somewhere in there was still his Diana. The one that had stolen his heart and he'd hoped would always be with him. He felt consumed with guilt at that moment as he looked at her shut eyes. A small sigh managed to escape his lips as he remained there, just wanting to hold her and be there when she woke up. "Diana….." Bruce started quietly. "I….I have some things that I need to tell you….things that I wish I could say when you're awake but know that I'll never have that chance. I'm….I'm sorry if I've done anything to cause this between you and I. If I'd have known that keeping Shayera would've caused me to lose you….I'd have….I….I never would've gone through with it. I love you Princess. I always will."

Bruce gave Diana one last look before he was going to order Alfred to transport him home when Diana's hand shot up and latched onto Bruce's arm, holding him there.

* * *

Any and all reviews are more than welcome, and I wanted to thank Lloyd RPGFan for the great idea about Batman visiting Diana in the Watchtower.


	13. Chapter 13: Arrow Down

The fall of Green Arrow.

Chapter 13: Arrow Down

* * *

Diana started to rouse from her slumber by the feel of a gloved hand as it gently moved some stray strands of hair from her face and tucking them behind her ear. She felt compelled to lean in to that affectionate touch for some reason that she didn't quite understand. She didn't open her eyes at all as she almost didn't want this moment to end. She had no memory of someone showing such care and affection towards her, not even her own mother. She realized by the sound of the sigh that it was a male standing next to her medical bed, and although she was curious, she still didn't open her eyes as she was enjoying the sensation that she felt. And then he started to speak. "Diana….." Bruce started quietly. "I….I have some things that I need to tell you….things that I wish I could say when you're awake but know that I'll never have that chance. I'm….I'm sorry if I've done anything to cause this between you and I. If I'd have known that keeping Shayera would've caused me to lose you….I'd have….I….I never would've gone through with it. I love you Princess. I always will."

Diana wondered why Batman had risked his life to sneak aboard the Watchtower just to see her. Even though Superman had told her that she had a distinct power over Batman that caused him to try getting to her, no one in their right mind would get onboard the Watchtower where there was no chance for escape. He'd also apparently felt the need to confide in her his regrets. Listening to what he said made her wonder what he believed he'd lost between her and him. He certainly didn't seem like the type that Kal had described. Perhaps there was more to him than Kal knew. She managed to catch a peek at Batman standing next to her bed. It appeared that he was getting ready to leave and there didn't seem to be anyone coming around to catch him. She knew that she needed to detain him if possible, and when she was sure his guard wasn't up, Diana shot her hand up and latched onto Bruce's arm, holding him there. "You're not going anywhere Batman." She said as she snapped her eyes open to see him standing there. She was slightly surprised by his not trying to escape from her grip. Instead he remained there just looking at her hand that was latched onto his forearm. She found that her curiosity about this man was increasing. Was he not attempting to get free because he knew that she was stronger and could stop any attempt, or was he so self assured that no harm would come to him that he was just waiting until she let him go? "Why aren't you trying to get away?" She asked as her curiosity got the better of her.

Batman's gaze moved from Diana's hand to her ruby red lips, pausing there for a moment before finally trailing up to meet her eyes. "I don't want to go unless you're coming with me." He admitted quietly.

"What makes you think that I'd willingly leave with you?" She asked, her grip loosening slowly.

"Our past." Batman answered simply.

"Our past?" Diana repeated. "We have no past aside from your betrayal from the Justice League."

"What betrayal?" It was Batman's turn to ask a question as he was slightly taken by surprise by that statement. "I haven't betrayed anyone."

"So you say." Diana responded as she released her hold on Batman. Something inside told her that he wouldn't attempt to get away, and she had more questions to ask. "How can I trust that you're telling the truth Batman?"

"Bruce." Batman responded. Diana's head tilted to the side slightly, wondering why Batman would do such a thing as give away his secret identity so easily. He noticed the curious look on her face and delved into more details. "You always called me by my real name before. It doesn't seem right to hear you call me by any other name."

"Before what?" She asked, wanting more details.

"Before your memories of us were somehow taken away from you." Batman explained as best he could without knowing exactly what had happened to Diana. He lowered his head and looked away from her in disgust from not having taken action and gotten her instead of meeting the President. "I'm sorry." He apologized again.

Hearing the word sorry leaving Batman's mouth was surprising to Diana for some reason. She had a feeling inside that it was a rarity to hear him say such words to anyone. "I'm not sure what you're sorry for _Bruce_, but I'm not sure that sorry will be enough."

"No, I don't suppose it would." Batman conceded. "But I still am, and I needed you to know that."

"You are an enemy of the Justice League Bruce." Diana stated as she wasn't sure where else to lead the conversation, so she brought it back to what she could recall about Batman. "You took a great risk coming here to checking on my health, and it was rather foolish of you to do such a thing when we could have you arrested for your crimes."

"What crimes?" Batman fired back He couldn't believe how much of her memory had been taken and it left him frustrated. "Come on Diana. You're supposed to be the beacon of truth Diana. Instead of taking me at my word or not, use what you have available to find the truth."

Diana stared at Batman for a few moments, wondering just what game he could possibly be playing at. Surely he was referring to the Lasso of Truth, but was he suggesting that he would willingly allow her to bind him by the magical lasso so that she would question him? From what she could recall of the Dark Knight, that didn't seem to be what he was after. Was there something regarding her that was untruthful? How could that be possible so thought to herself? Perhaps this was another attempt at manipulating the truth in order to turn things into his favor. She strangely found that she wanted to believe him, but she knew deep down that even if one were to want something that didn't necessarily mean that they would get it.

Batman knew that time was becoming short for him. Even though he'd done his best to deter any form of detection, it was only a matter of time before something or someone beyond his controls would discover his presence aboard the Watchtower. Deep down he wished that he would be taking Diana with him, but he could tell by the questioning look that she was still sending his way that she wouldn't come willingly. He certainly wouldn't be taking an unwilling Amazon either regardless of how much he found himself wanting to. As he took a step back in order to make his exit, Diana again reached for and grabbing his arm to halt his escape. "You know _Bruce_." Diana stated as she looked directly into the lenses of his cowl. "I shouldn't allow you to leave."

Batman smirked confidently upon hearing her say that to him. In her right mind, she'd know that he'd have already prepared an escape plan as well as a backup escape plan. Diana didn't like the scene before her and she revealed her displeasure with the sneer that formed on her face. "What?" She demanded. "The almighty Batman believes that he can escape from an Amazon's grasp?"

"If only you knew, Diana, if only you knew." Batman responded before pausing to look up at her medical room door sliding open, granting access to another visitor.

~~ Fortress of Solitude ~~

"If he wasn't here for you, then what did he want?" Superman asked his parents. He was visibly frustrated, but no one aside from him knew if the reason for that frustration was that Batman had gained access to the Fortress, or if it was that he couldn't' be sure if his parents were actually on his side or not. They had been giving him vague answers to that point, and from reading their vital signs, he knew that they weren't being completely honest with him.

"He only told us that he was looking for a way to….even the odds." Jonathan Kent replied. "That's all son, I swear."

"And just how did he….."

"Superman." Cyborg interrupted. "I've found something."

Superman rubbed his face to try and wipe away the frustration he felt towards his parents at that very moment. "What is it?" He asked as he turned his attention to his mechanical companion.

"There's a missing pill on this tray labeled Five-U93-R." Green Lantern answered.

"And according to the computer in your lab, a program was run just a few hours ago while you weren't here." Cyborg added.

"What was run?" Superman asked as he quickly entered into what he believed had been a secure lab area until Batman's break in.

"Some sort of nanite build program." Cyborg answered. "I'm digging into the programming of the nanites now."

"No." Superman answered very quickly. "I already know what they're for. It's a part of my re-education program that Lex and I are working on for the more violent criminal element of the world."

"Why would Batman have an interest in something like that?" Cyborg asked.

"It's Batman." Superman answered simply before turning to exit the lab area.

"He needs to know everything that's going on, regardless of its relevance." Green Lantern added. "It's his paranoid nature."

"I need to know what he took. Superman stated while looking directly at his parents. "We need to find out if he took materials or just downloaded files from the program, and then we need to get back to the Watchtower. He may very well become the biggest threat to our campaign if we don't do something soon."

"What do you think we need to do?" Green Lantern asked.

"We'll hold a meeting to discuss that." Superman answered. "But it's fairly obvious that he's working alongside the U.S. government and they should be dealt with as well."

After Cyborg was finished investigating just how much information Batman had gleaned, the three men marched back to the Javelin, Superman fighting to restrain his growing anger towards his former friend. Batman should be on his side seeking out a means for world peace. Hadn't Batman's actions outside the League been considered too violent at times to be considered heroic? How was that so different from what Superman was attempting? He'd lost his family once and Superman thought for sure that Bruce would want this since it could very well mean that no other eight year old boy would ever have to bear witness to his parent's deaths again. Why was he fighting this change? Was he jealous that he didn't have the power to do this on his own? Would it be possible to convince Bruce that this path was the best one, or would more extreme measures need to be taken? He would likely be researching the pill and anything regarding the nanites that he'd taken, and it wouldn't take him long to recognize that Diana's change would be too coincidental to not at least draw some form of suspicion. After all, regardless of what anyone thought, there was no denying that he was the world's greatest detective for a reason. Bruce could find the impossible from seemingly out of nowhere. Superman found that it was infuriating being on this side of the Dark Knight's mind. No wonder all of Batman's villains were insane. They'd have to be after going up against Bruce's great deductive mind. How else could they ever for any length of time seem to gain a step on the Dark Knight before he took it right back?

~~ Back at the Watchtower ~~

"You son of a bit…!"

Shayera's screeching voice called out before dodging a batarang that was aimed at her head. Diana still held Bruce's one arm, but he was able to pull out a batarang and let it fly to keep the Thanagarian off balance. Her having to duck out of the way also gave him enough time to quickly pull out another and fire it at her again. The Second batarang stuck into the ground just before her feet, causing her to smirk. He'd missed, or so she thought before a light on the batarang came on followed by a beeping sound, indicating that it was an explosive batarang. Shayera jumped back to avoid the blast, and before she could react in another fashion, the medical room door slid shut in front of her face.

What Shayera had believed to be an explosive batarang had in actuality been in electrically charged batarang, and it sent voltage up to the doorway controls, shorting them out. It wouldn't keep her away for long though. Batman would have to fall upon his last resort of an escape plan after all. He turned to find a still injured Diana standing before him just before she slammed him against a nearby wall. She was so close to him at that moment he could feel her breath against the unprotected section of his face. He was amazed by her level of strength even though she was still incredibly injured. She had to be in immense pain, but she was hiding it well. "You just attacked a Justice League member and a friend of mine." Diana seethed.

"I didn't attack her." Batman argued as he glanced over to the door that was in the middle of a pummeling at the hands of an angry Thanagarian wih her mace on the other side. Unfortunately for him, he'd run out of time to help Diana rediscover what had apparently been taken from her somehow. "I gave us another minute before I have to go."

"I have you now." Diana fired back. "You're not going anywhere unless I allow it."

Batman merely smiled at her, catching her completely off guard. The Batman barely ever smirked, let alone smiled. It was incredibly unnerving for her to see, and Batman took advantage of that moment of hesitation as he leaned in and kissed her lightly on an uninjured portion of her cheek. "Alfred…" He said. "Go."

Diana was stunned to see Batman's body disappear right before her eyes. The Watchtower should have access restrictions to prevent anyone from being able to teleport onto or off of it without proper authorization, and the teleporters were supposedly hack proof. By then Shayera had managed to pound her way through the door, only to find a still stunned Diana looking at her now empty hands. "Where is that son of a bitch?" Shayera yelled as she searched the room for where he could have possibly slipped away to.

"He's gone Shayera." Diana replied. "Teleported out just a few seconds ago. I thought I had him, but it seems he was prepared for this moment."

"We need to tell Superman about this intrusion." Shayera decided aloud. "There will be hell to pay for that asshole. First he kidnaps me, and now it seems he was trying to take you too."

"Actually he never tried to take me at all." Diana explained. "He just talked to me, and even said that he didn't want to leave at all unless I willingly came with him. I know it sounds strange, but I don't think he would've tried to take me otherwise."

"Really?" Shayera questioned. "He never gave me a choice. The coward just waited until I was knocked unconscious by the Apocalypse forces and held me in a medically induced coma until J'onn's cover was blown."

"I know Shay, but I don't believe he intended any harm to you." Diana responded. "He seems to only want to stop what Kal is doing. For some reason he doesn't think Kal's vision is in the people's best interest."

"And he's tricked some of the higher powered people of the world into joining him." Superman added as he entered the medical room. "We're having a meeting in five minutes to discuss what options we have to take regarding a former colleague. I just need to have a word with Diana first if you don't mind Shayera."

"Of course not." Shayera responded before making her exit.

Superman and Diana both watched until Shayera was out of sight before he turned his attention to Diana. He led her back over to her medical bed and sat on the edge of the bed beside her, his shoulders slumped slightly. "What's wrong Kal?" Diana asked

Superman sighed as he raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, working out just what to say in his mind. "I think Batman's manipulated my parents into trusting him Di." He finally responded. "They, they not only seemed to help him, but they tried to cover up for him as well."

"What makes you say that Kal?" Diana asked as encouragement to continue.

"I used my powers to read their vital signs, and they were lying to me about what he was doing when he broke into the Fortress of Solitude." Superman answered. "I think he took copies of some plans that Lex and I were preparing to use in order to help us get to the world peace that we all want. All of us except _any government officials_ or men of power."

"In my time here, I've come to the conclusion that no _man_ is willing to give up the power he's reached." Diana replied.

"Maybe the men of this world are incapable of self rule." Superman suggested.

"I'm not sure Kal, but that certainly seems to be the case." Diana agreed.

"I'd better get to the meeting." Kal said standing up. "I'll see you later, unless that is if you're feeling up to attending."

Diana smiled. "It's just a meeting Kal, I'm sure I can manage." Diana stated confidently as she rose up onto her feet again and removed the medical gown. She pulled her uniform out of a nearby closet and moved behind a curtain to change as Superman averted his eyes. No plain curtain could prevent him from viewing if he wanted to after all. Once Diana was dressed, she tapped Kal on the shoulder and accompanied him to the conference room. As they were late, they were the last ones to arrive. The chatter ended when everyone was able to see the damage that Wonder Woman had endured.

Superman waited until Diana was down in her seat before he cleared his throat as a means to focus the room. "I called everyone to this meeting because we've come across some issues that I believe we need to address now instead of later." Superman started. "First thing is that we need to decide how to handle the United States government. They've already shown their hands on their stance, revealing that they are against what we're trying to accomplish because it will remove their need and their power. I want to go to the United Nations and announce that we are going to disband any governments and take temporary control until such an institution is in place that has the whole world's interests in hand instead of just the interest of one country. The other issue is Batman. He's made himself become known as a potential threat..."

~~ Arrow Cave ~~

"I don't care what Spooky says, we can't just lay low and wait for him to come up with some kind of plan to stop Supes." Green Arrow argued over the phone.

"Batman has the best chance against him Ollie." Dinah responded. "I trust him that he has our best interests in mind."

"Like when he saved Diana?" Ollie continued.

Dinah gave pause to Ollie's argument, his last statement hitting a little close to home. She was surprised by his response. Did he really not know? "Wouldn't you do the same thing for me?" She asked.

"Tha….That's different." Ollie stammered. "I love you and we're getting married."

"Batman loves Diana Ollie." Dinah replied firmly.

"That's crazy talk." Ollie responded before he began to go through all of the memories of Batman and Diana together. "Isn't it?" He questioned.

"No, it isn't." Dinah answered even though she didn't have to. "Everyone onboard the Watchtower knew it Ollie. Well, everyone except Batman it seemed. He's always gone out of his way to save her if she were ever in trouble."

"Hmph." Ollie blurted out as he crossed his arms and continued going through his memories of the two other heroes. "Even so, that still doesn't change the fact that we shouldn't just sit idly by until Batman comes up with a plan. Every day we wait, Supes is only increasing his power over the world."

"Just give Batman the time he needs Ollie." Dinah coaxed. "When he contacts us, he'll have a plan set up to stop Superman."

"Maybe you're right Dinah." Ollie conceded before looking up in response to an alert that had just sounded off. He glanced up to the security camera feed of his front door and saw the cause. "Looks like I've got some unexpected guests. I'll have to catch up with you later Dinah."

"Umm okay Ollie." Dinah responded, unsure of who it could be that would cause Ollie to end their call.

"I love you Dinah." Ollie said before ending the call and focusing his attention on his guest, who had just broken through the main door of the Queen mansion. He didn't have much time at all, and knowing this fact he quickly grabbed his quiver and bow before heading to a secure spot within his arrow cave. He'd designed the spot where he fled into to be efficient and hard for an enemy to get an open shot at him without sacrificing their safety in the process. He settled in and pulled out the two arrows that he had specifically made for this intruder, and waited for the inevitable. He didn't need to wait long.

"Ollie!" Superman yelled as he breeched his way into the Arrow Cave. "I know you're in here. I just want to talk about what you were doing in the Fortress with Batman."

"Forgive me if I choose to believe otherwise there Supes." Ollie countered. "You haven't exactly been the most trustworthy in my book lately. Taking down governments, passing judgment like some sort of higher being."

"It's not like that Ollie." Superman said as he pleaded his case. "Batman's been filling your head with lies."

"So that pill that we took from your lab was planted there by Batman?" Ollie fired back rhetorically. "Why do you need a bunch of super powered soldiers? Are you planning on pushing your ways onto everyone in the world _Clark?_ Well no thanks. I prefer to keep my freedom and your no better than those dictators that you removed from power. What would Lois think of what you're doing?"

"I'm doing what she told me to do the last time I spoke to her." Superman fired back, his rage growing evident by the increased red glow of his eyes. "I'm saving this world. Even if I have to save it from the people that are in it."

"Look Superman." Ollie said. "We all get it. You're hurting because of what a mad man took from you. But don't think that you're the only one that's lost things. What you're going to do is crazy. You can't hope to control everyone on the planet just because you think you can make it safer. Holding us all down by subjugation will only end with revolt. You can't do this."

"I am doing this Ollie." Superman barked. "Now are you going to come out quietly, or do I need to pull you out kicking and screaming?"

Ollie drew back a nocked arrow. "Let's go with option C." He offered as he released the arrow aimed straight at Superman's chest. He watched as the arrow approached in almost slow motion as it headed toward its target, but just as the arrow was about to connect Superman's hand came up and caught it.

"Kicking and screaming it is then." Superman seethed as he began to stalk his way over to where Ollie was standing.

"Think again Supes." Ollie said as he stepped out with another arrow nocked and at the ready. "You see, that arrow came specially to order."

Superman looked down to see that there was a timer that had less than one second on it. The casing at the bolt of the arrow split open and a green powder exploded from within. Superman felt the instant sickness consuming him as he attempted to hold his breath and get away from the Kryptonite particles floating in the air around him. The particles making contact was bad enough, but if he were to breath any in it would only make matters worse. Ollie wasn't giving Superman much of a chance to escape though as he rushed forward, using his bow as a weapon, swatting Superman in the back of his knees and thusly taking him off his feet. He landed on his back with a thud, and the impact forced some air to escape him.

Ollie knelt down on top of Superman, and began swinging with rights and lefts. It felt like punching a brick wall, but he knew that if he was going to escape he had to incapacitate Superman for at least a few minutes. That was why he had the second arrow readily within reach. He intended to force Superman to inhale it. After a few more punches were thrown, he reached back for the arrow. It was now or never. "Just because you were vulnerable doesn't give you the right to do this Superman." Ollie stated as he grabbed the arrow and pulled it back out of the quiver. "Being vulnerable is part of being human and so is the fear of loss."

Superman glanced up to see the arrow that Ollie had pulled out was the same as the one he'd just used. Superman focused all his power, and shot out his heat vision at Ollie's hand followed by blowing out a mighty gust of air, which sent the arrow flying away before it could be opened to provide even more Kryptonite. Superman took that moment of surprise and grabbed Ollie by his shirt before flinging him away. Ollie slammed into a wall, knocking the wind out of him in the process. He never had a chance to get back to his feet before Superman was back on him. There was a murderous look on Superman's face as Ollie reached for his cell phone and pressed the send button. He wanted someone to know what was happening.

Superman wasted no words, but began pummeling Ollie in the midsection relentlessly. He wasn't at full strength due to the Kryptonite particles, but he still had Meta level strength to use at his disposal. After three punches, Ollie began to cough up blood, and by the sixth, his arms dropped to his sides as his body began to crumple over. Superman wasn't done though as he let loose a feral yell and continued beating into Ollie's limp body. By the time Superman was done he was panting heavily and covered in blood. After a few seconds, he heard a click sound in one of Ollie's pockets, and upon searching, he realized that Dinah had been on the phone and heard the beating. Surely she would be relaying what happened in the Arrow Cave to Batman and anyone else that had sided with him. Superman shot up through the cave and into the air, heading straight for Gotham City and it's protector.

~~ Outer space ~~

Kyle Rainer was traveling through space toward his home world. He'd been on a yearlong mission and couldn't wait to enjoy seeing home once again. Little did he know of all the changes that had been taking place during his absence. As Kyle came into view of Earth, he was surprised by his ring giving off a proximity alarm that someone was nearby. He turned to see who it could be and was surprised to find that he was surrounded by Sinestro Corps members. Before he could defend himself, the Sinestro Corps members ensnared him in a constructed trap they had concocted. The next thing Kyle saw was Sinestro himself approaching from behind his own Corps members. Kyle attempted to create a fist construct with his ring, but each time he did, the trap he'd been caught in tightened its grip around him. "What the hell are you doing here Sinestro?" Kyle demanded.

"I've merely been observing your planet young Green Lantern." Sinestro responded with a twisted smile as he floated around the Green Lantern. "It seems the heroes of your world are becoming more and more similar to me as each day passes. There appears to be a war on the horizon and I can see future allies to join my cause."

"Not strong enough to handle things on your own Sinestro?" Kyle mocked. "Some all powerful being you turned out to be."

Sinestro moved in closer, his twisted smile replaced by a sneer. He reached for and grabbed Kyle's ring finger before making eye contact with the Green Lantern. The smile quickly returned however. "Do I sense fear in you, _Green Lantern_?" He spat out.

Kyle attempted to use his ring to send out a warning to Oa, but Sinestro was having none of that, ripping the ring and finger off of Kyle's hand. As his powers left him, Kyle screamed soundlessly in the void of space as Sinestro turned his back to him. "It's a pity you won't be able to witness the upcoming war, but you have helped to start it." After that was said, the rest of the Yellow Lantern Corps began to tear Kyle's body apart piece by piece.

~~ Batcave ~~

"I'm sending over the file now." Batman stated as he continued typing on the Cray supercomputer. "As soon as it's uploaded, distribute it to the entire team."

"You need to get out of there as soon as possible Bruce." Oracle advised. "He already got to Green Arrow, and the Batcave is his next likely target."

"I'm not leaving until the analysis is complete on the nanite programming and this file is successfully sent out." Batman responded. "This pill is everything to stopping Clark, and with what happened to Ollie, it's obvious that the Superman the world once knew is gone forever. We have to be able to stop…"

Batman was interrupted by the feeling of the Earth shaking beneath his feet. It was a telling sign that Superman had arrived, and would be in the Batcave at any moment. Bruce quickly signaled for Selina and Tim to take cover in the docking area of the Batboat. He'd have to distract Superman until the pill analysis was sent. Batman typed furiously on the computer again, sending instructions to send the results of the nanite project out as soon as the analysis completed as well before minimizing both windows. At the bottom of the screen, he'd be able to tell how far along each process was before he retrieved a video file, pausing it before it started. He stepped back away from the computer and placed his cowl on just as Superman broke through the cave, surrounded by stalactites as he descended to where Bruce stood looking up at him. "Clark." Batman greeted coldly.


	14. Chapter 14: The Ultimate Sacrifice

Tragedy strikes close to the heart.

Chapter 14: The Ultimate Sacrifice

* * *

"Hello Bruce." Superman said as he touched down in front of the Dark Knight, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Batman saw the blood that still covered Superman's hands and the splatter across his face and chest. He knew that it had to be Ollie's blood, and while he would've liked nothing better than to avenge his comrade's death, he knew that he had to be careful because of just who he was dealing with and just how unstable Clark had become. If he were willing to fly off the deep end and kill a fellow hero like Green Arrow, then there'd be nothing to hold him back from doing it again, especially since he obviously felt that Bruce was a threat to his "vision of peace" for the world.

"What are you doing here?" Batman demanded, with his fists clenched tightly underneath his cape.

"I came here to put an end to your little rebellion Bruce." Superman answered. "Deep down I should have known that I'd have to take you down. I thought all those years that you were trying to help Gotham City, but now I see things differently. Now I think you're the biggest cancer of all. And any cancer should be removed before it infects anything else that it touches."

Batman walked around Superman and over towards the Cray supercomputer, his back facing the Kryptonian as he created some distance between the two. "I'm the cancer?" Batman questioned. "You're delusions of grandeur have exceeded even my own beliefs Clark. What the hell happened to cause you to fall so far?"

"If I were you I'd watch what you say Bruce." Superman warned as he began to stalk after Batman. "After tonight you're little game ends."

Batman chuckled upon hearing that. "Don't be silly Clark." He commented. "Comedy isn't your strongest suit, and I'm not in the market for buying any bullshit. If you were really going to stop me, then why didn't you simply lobotomize me from outer space with your heat vision?" Keeping Superman off balance, Batman then switched topics. "What the hell could Ollie have done to give you the right to kill him?" Bruce asked. "Have you even regretted what you did to Ollie? The only thing Ollie was guilty of is his compassion. You have no justification to killing him."

"He tried to kill me with Kryptonite arrows." Superman argued.

"Don't try playing me for the fool Kent." Batman snapped back as he glanced at the task bar for the status of the file upload and analysis. "I helped design those arrows and Ollie's never been one for killing anyways and you damn well know that. And don't try fooling yourself into believing that you actually came here to stop me."

"Now who's the one being delusional?" Superman asked as Batman looked over his shoulder at him as Superman approached.

"No Clark." Batman countered. "In reality deep down, you think that I can stop you, and you actually want me to."

"Don't try to manipulate me!" Superman screamed as he lunged forward and grabbed Bruce before throwing him up against a cave wall. "You manipulated my parents, you tried manipulating Diana, and you won't manipulate me. Stop talking about what you THINK I want."

"It'd be easier if I stopped talking Clark." Batman continued as he got back up and dusted himself off. "It'd be easier if I put on a metal suit, exposed you to Kryptonite and beat you mercilessly so that you could actually feel the pain, but I won't do that. I won't because I might not be able to stop you without killing. I'm not like you Clark. I'm not a murderer."

Just then Batman used the mouse to open the window he'd quickly prepared for Clark's arrival, revealing videos and images of Clark's wedding to Lois. The Man of Steel's hands fell open as his shoulders slumped in despair from seeing his long dead wife. Superman watched in silence for a few moments before he realized that Batman had slipped away into the shadows. "Turn off the vide Bruce." He demanded. "You won't use Lois' image to get away. I'm doing this for her."

Bruce worked his way around above moving from stalactite to stalactite until he was just over the lab area when Superman had noticed that he had slipped away unnoticed. He needed to keep Superman off balance just a little while longer. "How could you have really convinced yourself that going to these extremes is in some way honoring Lois?" He tauntingly asked. "She'd be disgusted by what you've become Clark."

"Don't talk like you know my own wife better than me." Superman warned through clenched teeth as he glared up to where Bruce currently was. "Come down from where you're hiding. I'm done being lectured by you."

"As you wish." Batman sarcastically responded as he threw a device that fell to the ground just in front of Superman's feet. The spherical device split open , revealing what appeared to be a built in speaker, and it began to emit a sonic wave that caused Superman to back up a couple of steps in pain as his eardrums were being assaulted. Seeing his opportunity, Batman dropped from the stalactite he was holding onto, down into the lab area. The file upload had completed, and he could now remove the durability enhancement pill from the analysis tray it had been sitting on.

~~ Just after Superman's arrival in the Batcave ~~

Alfred was running around the Manor like a mad man as he worked through how to go about the unexpected guest below. Tim had managed to send Alfred a text message letting him know that the Batcave wasn't safe to be in because of Superman's presence. He was relieved to know that Tim and Selina were safely stowed away for the time being, but he also knew that meant that Bruce was keeping the Man of Steel occupied on his own, and regardless of how many hours he'd trained and honed his body to utter perfection for combat, Bruce simply didn't stand a chance against an angry Superman that was now willing to take a life. He rushed around to quickly make sure that everything was ready for escape as there was no doubt at all that Superman wasn't there for anything personal between Batman and himself. There was only one thing that he could do to potentially save the lives of all his remaining beloved family and Selina. He rushed up into the master bedroom and into the closet where a secret compartment had been built in should Superman have ever confronted Bruce while inside the Manor. After pulling out what Bruce had stored inside and made a call using his cell phone to someone that he knew he could rely on to help Bruce get out of the Batcave alive. "I'm afraid my dear that I must request your presence." Alfred stated into the phone. He listened intently for a few moments before responding again. "Yes, Master Kent is here." He stated. "I fear we will need someone with you expertise to help Master Bruce escape. There's no one here capable of stopping Superman. Master Timothy and Miss Kyle are safe for the moment, but we cannot delay any longer than absolutely necessary."

Gaining the aid of some outside assistance, Alfred ended the call and quickly made his way into the study and the grandfather clock to gain access to the Batcave. As he walked through the entrance, he could hear Bruce attacking Superman mentally, and it seemed to be having an effect on the Man of Steel. Alfred only hoped that Bruce could keep Superman occupied until his help arrived. They would need a diversion though in order to escape without losing anyone and Alfred began formulating a plan of his own as he watched Bruce making his way through the stalactites. He was forced to cover his ears and remain at a distance when he saw Bruce dropping a sonic amplifier at Superman's feet. The next thing he knew, Bruce was dropping from the stalactites and Alfred knew that it was now or never. Bruce was obviously playing his last card.

"Let's even the odds then." Batman said as he dropped down into the lab area. He could hear the sonic amplifier stop emitting the deafening noise as he reached up for the pill, but was stopped as Superman grabbed onto his wrist. He was just a couple of inches away from grasping the pill and giving himself a chance. Now he wondered if he was going to be another version of Ollie. He attempted to kick Superman just to try and get Superman's attention elsewhere, but Clark was having none of that as he stepped forward and made aggressive contact with Bruce's shin. Even though he was protected by armor there, it didn't stop the force of Superman's actions from breaking the bones in Bruce's lower leg.

"What did you think you were going to do Bruce?" Superman asked while almost taunting him at the same time. "Take the pill and somehow be able to stop me? I'm not going to be stopped. Not this time. Not even the brilliant Batman is going to put a stop to my plans."

Superman punched Bruce in the side hard enough to break some ribs while not being fatal. Bruce clutched his side as he struggled to take a full breath. He worked to deflect another punch from Superman, but with no Meta level strength or speed, he was forced to absorb some of the blow with his right arm and he could hear the bones cracking and breaking with that impact. This was it he thought to himself. He was about to fall to the Man of Steel. At least he could take comfort in the knowledge that the rest of his team would have the ability to produce the durability pills and have a fighting chance against Superman. He deflected another punch, this time more successfully, but Superman followed up the strike by latching onto Bruce's neck and lifting him up off the ground. "Any last words before I take you to be with your group of Gotham's monsters?" Superman asked as Bruce struggled to breathe while in the Man of Steel's grasp. He glanced over one more time to the lab area where the pill was.

"Still some fight left in you?" Superman asked, only slightly surprised before he struck Bruce with three more shots to the midsection and grabbing his arm and squeezing. Bruce was a stubborn fool sometimes he thought as he enjoyed hearing Bruce scream in agony as he squeezed and snapped the bone in Bruce's other arm. It was only then that he turned his head in the direction that Bruce was looking as he continued to taunt. "It's over for you and any…..Superman's eyes widened in disbelief at what he noticed before he continued. "Where is the pill?" Superman asked as his head snapped back over to face Batman. He didn't know what Batman had done to move the pill, but he soon received his answer when he felt a finger repeatedly tap on the back of his shoulder.

Superman slowly turned his head to see who had laid their fingers on him only to be met with a bald head swiftly butting into his nose. The Man of Steel managed to keep hold of Bruce's neck as he stumbled backwards, blinking the water from his eyes. When his vision cleared, it was in time to see Alfred leaping towards him with a hand raised in the air that swiftly came down and struck him in the wrist. He had no choice but to let Bruce go at that moment. Alfred had taken the pill himself and had become an issue that would require his full attention.

Alfred moved quickly, more quickly than he'd even been capable of when he was a young British agent as he continued going after Superman. He dodged and weaved around any of Superman's attempts to make contact, following each miss with an effective counterpunch. Eventually Superman caught one of Alfred's fists before sending one of his own at the butler, which Alfred deftly caught with his own free hand. They circled with their upper appendages tangled together. Superman smirked as he saw the butler struggling to keep up with his own strength. "Not too bad Alfred." Superman commented as he began to lean in and up over the butler, looking to use his height to his advantage.

"You'll not harm my son any more _Superman_." Alfred spat out. He'd never shown such emotion toward anyone before that Bruce could recall. Alfred then led with another head butt, followed shortly after by a sweeping kick that caused Superman to have to lift off from the ground to prevent falling onto his backside. He didn't realize though that he had released Alfred's hand until it was too late as the butler connected with a powerful uppercut that sent the Man of Steel flying into a far away cave wall.

Having a moment to do so, Alfred spun around to check on his surrogate son. "Are you alright Master Bruce?" He asked as he checked Bruce over as best he could with the Batsuit still on.

"I'll be alright Alfred." Bruce offered. "You need to get out of here."

"Poppycock." Alfred responded before turning his attention back to Superman, who was quickly approaching once again. They locked each other up once again as Superman's eyes began to glow red.

"You've done well old man, but I don't have time for this." Superman grounded out. "You're aiding and abetting a criminal to the peace and security of this world. Either submit now, or I'll have no choice but to end the both of you."

"Oh I don't believe so." Alfred responded before yelling out. "Now Miss Zatanna!"

Bruce suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke, and Superman tossed Alfred aside as he focused on where Zatanna had teleported Bruce to. "Where the hell is he Zee?" He demanded.

Master Bruce is safe from you." Alfred stated as he pressed a button on the Cray supercomputer. All the lights dimmed for a moment before something that resembled a generator started to hum. Superman quickly realized what it was and flew over to it, but not in time to stop a force field from generating around itself that Superman couldn't break with his own strength. He attempted to burn his way through as a second layer of shielding grew, surrounding the lab, computer, training, and changing room areas. Even the Batmobile was on the same side as the rest of the cave's equipment. Alfred charged and tackled Superman to the ground before he climbed up and began to pummel the Man of Steel. "You'll….not….bring more….harm…to this….family!" Alfred yelled in between strikes.

Superman eventually was able to find an opening and buck the butler off of him before climbing to his feet, wiping his mouth off on the sleeve of his uniform. "You may be stronger, faster, and can take more punishment than before, but you didn't get all of my powers." Superman called out before hitting Alfred in the chest with his heat vision.

The blast of heat vision struck Alfred's chest hard enough that it lifted the butler off of his feet and slammed him into the outer barrier that he'd engaged from the Gorilla City tech that Bruce had gathered over the years. Where he slid down happened to be near Tim and Selina, as well as where Zatanna had teleported Bruce to. The four of them stood just outside the shield, but still out of reach because of the barrier between them. Bruce still reached up and placed a hand on it. "Alfred." He called out to get the butler's attention. "What are you doing? Get out of there."

Alfred turned for a moment, opening his jacket and revealing a lead lined casing around his midsection. Bruce's eyes widened as he realized that it was something he'd designed only as a last resort to stop Superman. "Bruce." Alfred said to gain everyone's attention. "You've been my son ever since that fateful day so many years ago. I've enjoyed seeing the man you've become. I'm so very proud of you my son, and I know you will continue to make me proud. I love you son."

"Alfred, stop this." Bruce pleaded. "You can still get out of there."

"No Bruce." Alfred responded as he placed one of his hands on the other side of the barrier where Bruce's hand was. "I'm afraid this is the end for me. I'll be sure to watch after you with your parents. Continue to make us proud son." Alfred then turned back around to face Superman once again as the Man of Steel stalked toward him.

"Alfred!" Bruce yelled. "No! Don't do this!"

"Miss Zatanna, Master Timothy, please take my son and get out of here." Alfred requested before lunging after Superman once again. Bruce found against Zatanna and Tim as he tried desperately to get to Alfred. Selina stepped in and helped the other two as they fought and managed to get Bruce onto the Batboat. Bruce watched on in horror as he saw Alfred evading Superman's heat vision as best as he could and continued to fight.

Superman slowly was gaining the advantage over the butler, but he couldn't get away long enough to attempt chasing down Bruce and his allies as the boat had disappeared from sight. Angered that Bruce had gotten away, Superman finally managed to strike Alfred with a direct hit that knocked the butler down. Alfred knew immediately that he was gravely injured as he felt his body breaking apart inside from all of the internal injuries he had just sustained. Superman stood over top of Alfred, his eyes still filled with rage that would've startled any other man, but Alfred had long since become accustomed to such looks. "Any last words?" Superman asked.

"No words _Superman_." Alfred responded defiantly as he held out a dead man's switch that was connected by a remote that he held in his hand. "Only this." He said as he pressed down the button while closing his eyes. Immediately his mind flashed with images of Bruce growing up, and then Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damien. His thoughts went through all the memories he had enjoyed in his life. All of his friendships and family members he'd had the privilege of knowing. Looking back in his last few moments, he'd had no regrets and no one would begrudge him his well deserved eternal rest.

Before Superman could react he was met with an explosive force that contained lead shrapnel mixed with shattered Kryptonite chips. Each piece of Kryptonite seemed to find its way to embed into Superman's skin as he fell down to his knees, succumbing to the sickening radiation that was now racking his body with pain. Even once the dust settled, Superman was struggling just to remain on his hands and knees. Some pieces of Kryptonite managed to pierce deeply into his body. He could feel the Kryptonite coursing through his veins as it made him increasingly sick. He glanced around and could see all the other shards of Kryptonite around him. Anywhere he tried to go, he would have to make his way through the Kryptonite first. He knew that he wouldn't last very long if he remained in the Batcave for very long, and he had to think of a way to get out. The first step would have to be finding someone to help him. Diana was still recovering from Captain Atom. Green Lantern was the next person that he thought of, followed by Flash, but his thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a yellow beam of light streaking up after penetrating the ground. Once the yellow was above the surface, it changed into a giant fan, and began blowing away the Kryptonite shards that were still scattered around him. Superman slowly began to feel a little better as the shards were blown away from him. He still had all the shrapnel to deal with, but at least now he felt like he could take a small breath.

Superman managed to climb back up onto his hands and knees before he looked up to see that Sinestro had been the one that helped him. "Wha…what…the hell…..are you…."

"Doing here?" Sinestro asked. "I came to see if the rumors were true Superman."

"Rumors?" Superman asked.

"There will be time for explanations later." Sinestro stated. "Remove the shields so that you can be taken to help."

Superman hesitated. Why was Sinestro helping him he wondered? He wasn't sure if he should comply or not as in his current condition he might not be able to defend himself against Sinestro. "Why?" He asked simply.

"Because I see myself in you, and I know they are coming to stop you." Sinestro explained. "I can help you to gain the peace you seek."

Superman knew that he needed to make a choice, and his options were limited. Live or die. If he stayed behind the shield, eventually the Kryptonite in his body as well as the shards still strewn about would eventually end him. If he were to comply and remove the shield, Sinestro could likely kill him as well, but there was a chance that the leader of the Yellow Lanterns could be telling the truth. Based on the information that he had at hand, Superman made his decision.

~~ Outer banks of Gotham Bay ~~

Tim drove the boat up onto a sand covered bank in order to hasten their travelling. Right now they needed to create some distance between themselves and Superman. Batman just sat in the boat solemnly as his eyes never left the water entrance to the cave. His breathing was shallow at best, and he wasn't moving around much at all. Zatanna and Selina each took turns trying to get through to Bruce, but he didn't budge at all, even from the impact of the boat stopping on land. He was fighting back the tears and emotion that was ripping through him. It seemed like his parents all over again. He wasn't strong enough to save them, and now he wasn't strong enough to have saved Alfred either. Was this his legacy? To not be strong enough to save those he loved?' First it was his parents, then Jason, and Barbara when the Joker left her paralyzed from the waist down. Now he'd lost Alfred. The man was so much more than just a butler. He had raised Bruce as a child and taught him how to become a man. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Bruce had trained and exercised religiously in order to stop the violence in Gotham, and instead the streets were just as bad. Maybe Clark was right and he should've stopped fighting because of his absolute belief that he was always right. "Bruce, we have to go." He heard Tim saying, but he wanted to stay here. Every move that he made seemed to only bring heartache to others and himself.

"Bruce, please." Zatanna pleaded. "Alfred didn't give up his life just to see you give up now."

"If I hadn't picked a fight against Superman then Alfred, Dick, and Ollie would all still be here." Bruce responded under his breath, but still loud enough that they all heard him.

"Don't be ridiculous." Selina chimed in. "Alfred knew that what you were doing was right Bruce and you damn well know it. He's never been the type to go along with you when he's felt you weren't right."

"And look where it got him!" Bruce fired back, finally turning away and facing Zatanna, Tim, and Selina.

"Dad." Tim responded in a pleading voice of his own. "Please don't do this to us. Babs and I need you."

Tim's plea seemed to finally snap Bruce back to reality as he started to climb out of the boat on his own until the others realized that he was complying and they all pitched in to help him. They made their way down an alley to a secret passage where they could stay for the time being and not have to worry about detection. When they were all secured, Tim sent Barbara a message letting her know what all had happened while Zatanna helped tend to Bruce's injuries. In his current condition it would take a minimum of six weeks to heal enough to where he could risk going back out. Even Bruce Wayne would have to take a sabbatical as they couldn't risk Superman coming after him as Bruce Wane. He'd be too vulnerable in that situation, especially without giving away his secret identity.

~~ Back in the Batcave ~~

Superman had used his communicator to contact Barry just before he located the shield controls and shut it down. When the shield flickered and disappeared, Sinestro not only didn't attack, but he came over and helped Superman to his feet and out of the cave. When they reached the waterfall, Barry had arrived, and was shocked to see Superman accepting help from the mortal enemy of the Green Lantern Corps. "What the hell is going on?" Barry asked as he got into a defensive stance, ready to take Sinestro on.

"No Flash…." Superman started as he tried to keep his breathing controlled and even. "Sinestro didn't do this."

"Your Superman requires medical attention." Sinestro surmised, bringing the conversation back to Superman's injuries.

"Come on Clark." Barry said as he draped one of Superman's arms around his shoulder. "And you're not coming." He barked in Sinestro's direction.

"Very well, but I won't wait too long for a response." Sinestro responded. "You know where to find me Superman."

Barry put in call for teleport, and within moments they disappeared from the Earth and reappeared on the Watchtower. There Superman and Flash made their way to the medical wing where doctors quickly went to work on removing as much Kryptonite shrapnel as they could. They were under a hurried timetable due to Superman's healing abilities closing his various wounds. They had all available medical staff around in order to help expedite the process. Each doctor worked on a different part of Superman's body, being sure to be careful, yet efficient. None of them wanted to be the cause of not being able to save Superman.

Flash left to let the doctors do their work and went to inform the rest of the League about Superman's condition and where he'd been when he was injured. Shayera argued vehemently that it had to be Batman that was responsible and she wanted to go after him immediately and take no mercy. Hal was less committal about just going after Batman until they had all of the facts in front of them. Especially if Batman was indeed the culprit. The League was at its weakest point at the moment with Diana still recovering and Superman now injured as well. Batman always seemed to be two steps ahead of his adversary, and that would be especially true if he was the one being hunted. Barry and Hal knew that they would be reacting to Batman more so than anticipating his next move. There was another item that Barry wanted to discuss as Lex Luthor also walked in to join the group, and that was who Superman was with when Barry had answered his call for help.

~~ Outside the Batcave, just after being teleported ~~

Sinestro stood there silently as he looked upon the place where Superman and Flash had disappeared. When he was sure they were both gone, he pulled out a vial and through it onto the ground before smashing it with his foot. He smiled triumphantly as his thoughts trailed back to the moments just after Superman had shut down the shield generator. He approached the injured Man of Steel cautiously, showing that he didn't intend to attack. Instead he offered his hand to help Superman up. He started to head out when Superman stopped. "Wait." Superman said as realization struck him. "There's a vial being analyzed in the lab. I need it removed before it finished."

Superman pointed over to the vial and watched intently as Sinestro approached the lab area and found the vial that was still in the process of being scanned when he removed the vial, forcing the analysis to end before it was finished. Superman used his enhanced vision to peer over at the supercomputer, and noticing that on the taskbar, one of the minimized windows read ninety-two percent complete. Seeing that caused a small smile to appear before a surge of pain suddenly grew when he attempted to stand up on his own.

~~ The following morning ~~

Superman was tossing and turning in his medical bed. He was drenched in a cold sweat. He'd been moaning and almost saying something, but in his slumbering state, it wasn't coming out as actual words. Suddenly his eyes snapped open, followed by his sitting up abruptly. "LOIS!" He yelled before panting like a man that had sprinted for the last half of a marathon.

Diana jumped out of her bed in the neighboring recovery room from Superman's yelling his deceased wife's name. She climbed out of bed and padded over to his room where she found Superman trying to get his composure back. "Is everything alright Kal?" She asked as she sat down next to him on the edge of the medical bed.

"I'll…..I'll be alright Diana." Superman offered, but in a shaky voice that did anything but convince her that he was being honest. Not wanting to discuss his dream or the fact that he'd been avoiding sleep at all costs because of the recurring dream he'd just experienced. To find a distraction, he quickly located the remote and turned on the television on in his room. The channel was it was currently on was showing breaking news. Diana gasped upon seeing what it said just as the reporter on screen began to delve in to the main story. Oliver Queen or otherwise known as Green Arrow had been found dead.


	15. Chapter 15: Recovering and Training

Everyone is licking their wounds as they recover from injuries.

Chapter 15: Recovering and Training

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One week had passed since Superman was brought into the Intensive Care unit of the Watchtower medical wing. Once he'd been moved to the recovery area in a room next to Diana's, she had visited with him often, offering comfort the few times that he was awake long enough to receive it. After all of the work that the doctors had done, they still weren't able to remove all of the Kryptonite from his wounds. Some of them healed too quickly for the doctors to pull out the shards embedded in his skin in time. They still were able to remove enough that eventually they believed his body would be able to work the poison out of his system.

Diana's own healing had improved her condition dramatically in the days that Superman was recovering. She'd finally been granted her medical release, and it couldn't have come soon enough for her as she couldn't stand sitting on the sidelines while the rest of the League was being forced to do more than their fair share of work. This was her first morning outside of the medical wing, and she craved something to better prepare herself for what had already become a tiring day. She had offered to pull a double shift of Monitor Duty so that Shayera and Shazam could finally be allowed to take a breath. She had been granted a couple of hours free time between the two shifts thanks to Cyborg wanting to perform some routine maintenance in the Monitor Womb and teleporter area, and to keep things as quiet as possible, he'd offered to cover for her. Diana decided that she'd head down to the commissary for a drink. Normally she'd be up for an iced mocha, but something hadn't sat well with her with the last one she'd had that Superman provided her with. She felt something that seemed like indigestion for a while before it finally passed, and she hadn't craved an iced mocha since then. So for the time being she was resorting to pure coffee for the jolt of caffeine that she needed.

Upon reaching the coffee machine inside the commissary area, Diana noticed a worn out Green Lantern slouching in a chair with a half empty mug of coffee and parts of a pastry on a napkin in front of him. She hadn't had a chance to see many members of the League, and was anxious to find out about what action she'd missed. Especially concerning how Superman had become injured. Seeing this as a prime opportunity for that, she took a seat across from Hal and took a sip of her coffee before setting it down and focusing her attention on the man sitting across from her. "Sorry to bother you, but I'm curious about what happened on the surface while I was injured Hal?" Diana asked. "I haven't had much time to speak with Kal while he's been recovering. I'd like to what happened specifically with Kal if you know anything about it."

"According to Barry, Superman went after Batman and he was attacked in the Batcave." Hal explained. "What I find more questionable than that though is that Supes was apparently saved by Sinestro."

"Sinestro?!" Diana questioningly exclaimed. "What in the name of Hades can explain how or why that happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Hal responded. "I don't know what Sinestro has in store, but deep down I'd be hard pressed to believe anything other than his own ulterior motives. But we'll have to wait until Supes is back up and about to get those answers. Speaking of that, I guess Bats really did a number on him. Doctors said they took out all of the Kryptonite that they could, but there was still some they couldn't get out in time before his wounds healed. They said that his body is just going to have to work the rest out of his system."

"That brings up another question." Diana added. "Why would Batman attack Superman? Is it because of some strange sense of feeling like he was being intruded upon by Kal going to his cave or did Kal simply play into his hand and Batman used that opportunity to try and stop Kal from seeing his vision of peace to its end?"

"It might've been a twofold attempt. We did find traces of Kryptonite with Ollie as well." Hal responded. "Maybe Batman and he were both trying to get to Supes and take him out, thinking that with him out of the picture that the rest of us would fall or give up with this campaign."

"I suppose that could be possible, although I never would've thought that Green Arrow would do such a thing. Was there anything else that you found there?" Diana asked.

"Yeah, some security footage." Barry responded as he sat down next to the other two in the commissary with coffee and donuts in his hands. "There wasn't much to see though aside from Arrow taking a shot at Superman with what looked like a Kryptonite tipped arrow."

While Diana was listening and sipping her coffee, she unexpectedly blinked rapidly a few times and her facial expression glazed over a little, catching Hal and Barry's attention. She eventually shook her head and stood from her seat, but her facial expression had changed into revealing anger at that point. "….Is….everything alright Diana?" Flash asked with concern clearly evident in his voice.

Diana made eye contact with Barry and realized that he was speaking to her and she needed to respond. "Yes." She answered before pausing for a moment. "I'm fine Flash. Some things are just a little fuzzy at times with my memory is all. I'm sure a session in the training area before going back to Monitor Duty will clear my head."

Diana picked up and discarded her empty coffee cup as she left the commissary while Barry and Hal watched her. "Tell me I'm not the only one that noticed." Hal commented to Barry.

"If you're talking about Diana looking like she just went blank for a second, then no you're not." Barry responded. "What was that anyways?"

"I'm not sure Barry." Hal replied. "It's definitely odd for Diana though. Normally she's the most focused person in a conversation even when she's really not interested in the topic."

Diana marched straight to the training rooms wing, stopping for no one, and her anger only increased with each step she took. Why would Batman do such a thing? Why was he so against giving the world a real chance for peace? And now because of his manipulations, he'd likely been the cause of Ollie losing his life. His death was an unfortunate tragedy as Green Arrow had always been a trusted member of the League. Diana was now wondering if Dinah would have fallen under the same trap by Batman. If so then that would also bring about the question of how many others had he been able to recruit to his side, and what could possibly be his goal? Her thoughts then led her to how Batman had managed to get into her recovery room virtually undetected just over a week ago. Why was he really there? Was Batman trying to convince her to join his side as well, or was he just there to be closer to his own personal Kryptonite like Kal had explained to her Bruce couldn't help himself from doing. All this had to be some of her lost memories, and trying to regain them was extremely frustrating for her and only added to her building anger as she continued towards the training rooms. Superman, Flash, and Green Lantern had all recently shared their apprehension toward approaching Batman because of his meticulous planning, but if that were the case then why would he take such a risk in boarding the Watchtower? Surely he wasn't so overconfident that he believed he had much of a chance to evade being captured. Why not instead wait and find a way to lure her to a more neutral area where he could better establish all of the variables to deal with. He simply had to have thought of the level of risk before taking action, but she just couldn't fathom what reasoning was behind his actions. He even had more than an opportunity to do something to her while she slept, but instead he just stayed there next to her bed and apologized for her being in the position she was in at the time. That situation was still weighing heavily on her mind, and it was clouded by what memories Diana did have of his betrayal and cold heartedness. There was something deep inside her thoughts that just didn't seem right to her about that though, but she still couldn't find what it was that made her believe those memories weren't the whole truth though. It was almost as though it was a gut feeling or some form of intuition deep inside telling her that there was more to Batman than she recalled.

When Diana reached the training room, she began with a brief stretching routine to ease her mind before making her way over to the control panel and searching for the adversary that was consuming her thoughts. Perhaps if she were to pound on a few simulated versions of the Dark Knight, then she would finally shake him from her mind. Diana flipped through all of the options for the battle as she made her selections before finally deciding on selecting Batman as her enemy with the highest level of difficulty available. She still kept his strength and skill level to where the simulation indicated it should be though as she wanted to keep things as realistic as possible. Besides even under normal circumstances Batman would have virtually every fighting technique available as well as all of his documented weaponry to use at the simulation's disposal. With her selection made, a droid then came out from an opening in the wall, and Diana cracked her knuckles in anticipation of the battle to come as the holographic image started up and revealed Batman as the droid stopped before her. When the droid stood at the ready, Diana lunged forward, a battle cry leaving her lips as she began her assault. This would be a therapeutic workout for her she hoped.

~~ Batman's secondary base of operations ~~

Barbara and Tim had put in an incredible amount of effort in preparing the new headquarters for when Bruce would be ready to return to his mission. They knew that it wasn't a matter of if, but rather when that he'd once again focus on the mission. It was like an addictive drug that Bruce could never completely give up, and he'd likely have to physically be forced to take his last breath before he'd stop. But even knowing that, they were still concerned about Bruce as he was taking Alfred's death extremely hard. Surprisingly though it didn't seem to feed into his anger and need for vengeance like other losses in his life had done before. Tim hoped that it was just the injuries playing a part in it even though his calculating mind told him it was more than that. Tim and Barbara eventually connected all of the wiring and circuitry to the backup computer before checking over all that they'd done. Satisfied that they were finished, Tim switched on the power from the hydroelectric storage unit with a small smile on his face. "You know something Babs, I never thought that someone flushing a toilet would be so beneficial for the Batclan." He commented. "Using the waste water flow to create electricity for this place was really ingenious."

"Bruce told me once that he'd designed some places to be self sufficient in order to keep anyone from being able to easily track him." Barbara explained. "Using the sewer system with a hydroelectric water wheel seemed to be the best option down here. I'm just glad he designed a storage charging unit so that we could be far enough away that we don't have to smell it constantly."

"Yeah, the old man seems to think of everything." Tim teased before turning serious. "Hey, you've known Bruce the longest. Has he ever acted like he has been here? It's like he's almost given up."

"Bruce hasn't given up Tim." Barbara offered encouragingly, half for Tim and half for herself as she'd never seen Bruce like he was acting before either. "He's just grieving. It's not every day that you lose a second father in your life."

"I know, but I just thought that he'd want to bring Superman down that much more because of losing Alfred." Tim stated before changing subjects. It was sad enough just knowing that Alfred was gone, no need to bring it up in casual conversation with the wounds still so very fresh for all of them. "We should be able to start producing the pills that he got from Superman in a couple of hours here, then he could go after Supes and have a real chance at taking him down."

"It's never quite that simple Tim." Bruce said from the doorway to the living quarters, startling both Tim and Barbara. Bruce rolled in his wheelchair over to the computer terminal, which had just finished rebooting.

"How are you feeling Bruce?" Barbara asked.

"Lousy." Was Bruce's only response as he focused on the computer, linking it to the Batcave computer. He wanted to pull some files over before severing the connection completely and wiping the memory from the Batcave computers before the Justice League got their mitts on it and broke his encryption. Even with the immense amount of encryption Bruce had layered into his security protocols, it wouldn't take Cyborg much longer than a day to hack his way into it, and Bruce didn't want anyone to know for certain what information he had or didn't have. "We need to stock up on some supplies. I want this facility ready to support us no matter the situation. We have to be prepared for the worst."

"What's the worst Bruce?" Tim asked.

"Clark knows our secrets." Bruce answered matter-of-factly. "There's nothing stopping him from putting our true identities out there, and then how can we get supplies. Especially if he puts a bounty on our heads."

"We'll head out and gather supplies." Barbara responded quickly before making her way over to Tim so that they could leave together. What Bruce had said was a frightening thought. What would happen if what he'd said did come true?

Bruce stayed there alone after the other two left, just staring at the computer screen in front of him. The conversation with Tim and Barbara had been the most he'd spoken since Alfred had sacrificed his life so that Bruce and the others could escape. That left Bruce angered at his surrogate father for being so stubborn. The mission was Bruce's choice and donning the cape and cowl was so that Alfred wouldn't become a casualty. Protecting loved ones from any possible retaliation was most of the reason he'd donned the cowl. If enemies didn't know who he was, then his loved ones would be safe. Now it seemed like all of his family and friends were being ripped away. There was a brief moment where he'd even thought about whether his choice to stand against Superman was the right one after all. Thinking that way brought him reflect back to a memory that popped back into his head.

_"Don't you think you were being rather bleak towards the team?" J'onn asked as he came into view. "What do you truly believe will be the cost of succeeding in stopping Superman and the others?"_

_"I can't count on how much it will cost to succeed." Batman answered. "If I know that, I might think the cost is too great and give up. Instead I'm going to focus on doing whatever is necessary because it's the right thing to do."_

That conversation between J'onn and himself caused him to think about just how costly it was so far. He'd already lost Dick, Ollie, Captain Atom, and Alfred. How many more would he lose if he continued on this path? Even with the durability pill, Superman had survived where Alfred hadn't. Could he continue to risk the lives of Tim and Barbara any longer? He wasn't sure if his heart could take losing them on top of everyone else. He was beginning to realize just how much the cost was becoming, and that made him question just how much more he could take.

Bruce was brought out of his guilt ridden state when an alert came across the computer screen, catching his attention. He looked up and noticed that someone on the Watchtower had enabled a request to run a training simulation against a droid programmed as Batman. He'd forgotten about that alert he'd installed when he was a part of the League, thinking it wise to know just which Meta he might have aggravated to the point of them needing to beat a droid that had his likeness holographically placed upon it. He'd have to remove that alert before Cyborg happened to stumble upon it in order to keep them from locating his new base of operations, but at this moment he found that his curiosity was getting the better of him. Who was it that was training against a likeness of him? A simple bit of hacking was all that he'd need to do in order to find out just who put in the request. Each action was traced by a user ID so that it was easy to trace who set up a specific training simulation. Bruce had designed the system that way himself. Without even realizing it, Bruce had begun typing and when he stopped he was staring at the ID code for Diana.

Bruce was happy to know that Diana had healed enough to be back in a training room once again, but it also brought with it the cold reality that she was seemingly so far out of reach. Even though he'd never admit it, he needed her beside him to help deal with the loss of his surrogate father. He began typing again as he thought back to a time in his youth. It was one of the rare moments between himself and Alfred where they discussed Bruce's parents. A particular comment from Alfred during that conversation was ringing in his ears as if it were yesterday. He remembered Alfred telling him about the great man that his father had been. When Bruce had asked what his father had done that helped him become the great man that he was, Alfred said simply that he found the perfect woman to be by his side. Martha Wayne brought out the best in Thomas, and in turn Thomas did the same for her. Bruce had listened that night, but not really understanding at the time how one person could have such an influence on another. Sometimes it seemed that he still didn't understand it.

Bruce stopped typing when a new window appeared on the screen. He had hacked into the security feed and was now watching Diana as she battled with the android version of himself. As he watched her moving about, he could plainly see that she'd not been actively training for some time. Some of her movements were late or off balance. That was something very unlike the Amazon. He checked the settings that she'd applied to the droid and found that they were as close as anyone could get to actually sparring with the real Batman. Just like all of their previous sparring sessions, she seemed to be working on her technique more so than worrying about using her powers. Bruce found at that moment that he wanted to be near to Diana again, but knew that in his current condition there was no possible way for that to happen. And if he were going to risk it again, he'd want to be sure that there were no interruptions so that he could try again to get through to her. She'd given him a glimmer of hope when he boarded the Watchtower to see her a week ago with the way that she'd questioned him and her reactions to his responses. He knew that deep inside his Diana was still there. It was just a matter of how to get her freed from what ever was keeping her from being truly herself. He began typing more furiously than before, attempting to do something else that would take some time, but he knew that was a luxury that he didn't have. Diana wouldn't train for very long with this likely being one of her first sessions since recovering. She'd likely use this as a light workout to test herself out before she'd more aggressively approach her training sessions. She'd likely be chomping at the bit to get back out into the field, and getting back into good condition without reinjuring herself would be her top priority.

~~ Training Room ~~

Diana attempted a spinning backhand as the droid had once again gotten her off balance. She connected with it on the head, but it was a glancing blow at best and only knocked the droid back a few feet. This droid seemed to be more challenging than the first three. She figured she was going to have to return to the training rooms often so that she could shake off the rust from being laid up for so long. She attacked again, going for a forward snap kick, but the droid managed to dodge it. "You're not maintaining a balanced form, Princess." The android said in a half mechanical, half Batman sounding voice.

Diana was surprised upon hearing the android speaking. She'd thought she had turned that feature off so that she could solely focus on her fighting techniques. "Program." Diana called out as she blocked an attack. "End all verbal actions." The android attacked her again when she was issuing the command and it actually was able to make contact with an uppercut into her ribs. She jumped back to create some space while protectively placing a hand over her ribs. She was surprised that the droid was able to land such a clean shot against her. She had definitely been away from training too long. Realizing this provided her with a renewed sense of purpose, and she engaged in combat once again. This time she was advancing passed the droid's defenses and making solid contact with her strikes.

Diana started to feel a sense of confidence that victory was closing in again until she attempted a roundhouse kick that the droid caught with one hand, and it pulled on her leg before sweeping the other leg out from under her. She fell to the floor with a thud and the droid pounced on top of her, latching onto her arm and pinning it behind her back. It leaned down closer to her exposed ear as she growled. She was about to use her powers to escape when the droid spoke again. "You over-extended yourself and left an opening to exploit."

Diana stopped struggling to free herself after hearing the droid speak again. She thought back to any of her training sessions while using droids before, and never had the droid critiqued her technique before. "Release me." She commanded, and the droid complied as it stood back up and stepped away to provide her with some space. Diana flexed her arm and rolled her shoulder as she stood up. "Pause program." She ordered, and waited to see what the droid would do, but it only stood there quietly. Perhaps it was malfunctioning as it had disregarded her instruction to cancel any verbal communication.

Diana went over to the control panel and began running a diagnostic when the droid suddenly spoke again. "There is nothing malfunctioning Diana." It said. "At least nothing that would be found in the diagnostic scan."

Diana looked back over to the droid, still half astounded by what had transpired. How did he do it? Why was he fixated on her? She found that she wanted to now more, and she walked over in front of the droid. "It's you isn't it?" She asked in more of a statement than a question. "How were you able to do this?"

"I wrote the program for the training area holographics and the droids are from WayneTech." The droid answered. "I'm not without my means."

"Fair enough, but now that begs the question of why." Diana responded.

"Why?" The droid asked. "Why what?"

"I know that you are attracted to me as if I were some addictive substance." Diana described. "But eventually you're going to slip and get yourself caught. Everyone on the Watchtower seems to think you're this extraordinary strategist, but I don't believe the Goddess Athena would agree with them considering the risks you are taking just to get my attention."

"It's never been about strategy with you Diana." The droid replied. "For years I tried to stay at arm's length away from you. I never thought that I could give you what you wanted and deserved, and I never wanted to hurt you."

"You talk as though we were more than teammates at one time." Diana surmised.

"We were." The droid answered.

"Don't try to manipulate me Bruce." Diana responded in anger. "You'll not sway me with your lies."

"I wish it was a lie Diana." The droid stated in response. "That would certainly make some things easier."

"What would be easier would be if you just turned yourself in." Diana replied.

"If I turned myself in, then Dick, Ollie, and Alfred will have died in vain." The droid responded. "I can't simply let their deaths pass."

"Your cause sounds noble Batman, but I think you've chosen the wrong side this time." Diana said.

"Only time and the truth will tell Princess." The droid fired back.

~~ Medical Wing, Superman's recovery room ~~

A nurse from the approved medical staff walked into Superman's room to check in his status, only to find the Man of Steel sitting up in bed with his hands on his head. "Welcome back Superman." She said as she approached his bed and grabbed his chart. "We were beginning to wonder when you were going to rejoin us."

"How….How long have I been out?" Superman asked.

"You've been in and out of consciousness for the better part of a week." The nurse responded. "You've never been awake for a more than a minute or two at a time though. It looks like the Kryptonite's finally worked its way out of your system."

"The Kryptonite…." Superman repeated before trailing off. His mind began working overtime as he tried to focus on what had recently happened. He recalled confronting Ollie and pummeling him to death after Ollie had attacked him with Kryptonite arrows. He also recalled fixing the security videos that showed him killing Green Arrow to make certain that Ollie appeared to be the transgressor before heading off to the Batcave in order to end any attempted rebellion from Bruce. Then he remembered his confrontation with Alfred, the explosion, and all of the Kryptonite around him. He should've died there, but Sinestro had followed him to the Batcave and pulled him out. "Batman." He grumbled aloud as he began to climb out of bed.

"Wait Superman, we still need to do a checkup before you leave." The nurse stated as Superman continued to stand on his own two feet before making his way over to the closet in his room where his suit would be awaiting him.

"I feel fine nurse." Superman replied as he opened the closet door and pulled out his suit. "I've rested long enough and Batman needs to be brought to justice before he causes any more trouble." Just then another thought popped into his head. He vaguely recalled Diana being at his side each time he'd woken up, but she was nowhere to be seen this time. "Where's Diana?" He asked the nurse.

The nurse shrugged her shoulders in response, knowing full well that giving with the Man of Steel anything other than the responses he wanted was a lost cause, and any further evaluation to gain his medical release just wasn't going to happen. "Wonder Woman was released yesterday afternoon sir." The nurse answered as she began picking up around the room.

Superman finished getting into his uniform and looked for the closest League member he could find as he headed out. He wanted Diana to join him with the United Nations meeting. Diana would play a crucial role as the known goddess of honesty. If she endorsed the move to create a new government for the entire world, then perhaps the rest of the leaders wouldn't put up as much of a fight. He also knew that he had to keep a close eye on her, especially now. Bruce had lost one of his most needed outlets, and Superman just knew that without Alfred, Bruce would be even more desperate to get to Diana. That was simply something that Superman couldn't afford, especially at the moment in his current condition as he wasn't back to full strength yet.

Walking with a purpose down a hallway, he came across Lex Luthor, who was walking in the opposite direction while seemingly staring at a PC tablet. Lex nearly missed that the Man of Steel was walking passed him until he caught sight of the red cape flowing behind. "Superman!" He called out half excitedly. "So glad to see you've recovered."

"Thank you Lex." Superman responded before changing the subject. "Have you seen Diana by chance?"

"I believe she's in a training room at the moment." Lex answered as he changed direction and joined Superman in heading towards the training deck. "Since you're here, I'd like to go over something if I can have a moment of your time."

"Alright Lex, but it's going to have to be quick." Superman responded as he continued marching with a purpose. "I've got a lot of things that need to be handled since I've been out for so long."

"Very well." Lex said as he touched the tablet screen and handed it over to Superman. "During your recovery, I've assembled some platoons of troops that were handpicked for their loyalty to your vision of world peace, and provided them with the Five U-93-R supplements to them. They're all standing by and awaiting your first orders."

"That's terrific news Lex." Superman said as he began to think about where he wanted to strike first.

"We're also ready to unveil the new Hall of Justice that's been built around new Metropolis." Lex commented.

"First the UN meeting with Diana." Superman responded. "With the troops ready, I have two announcements to make now."

"I'll start making the arrangements and gather the rest of the League members for a meeting in the main conference room." Lex added. "Green Lantern indicated that he wanted one scheduled as soon as you left the medical wing."

"Go ahead and gather the rest Lex, and I'll get Diana and meet everyone there." Superman said as the two friends parted ways.

~~ Training Room ~~

"I don't know Batman." Diana said as she paced back and forth with one arm crossed in front of her body while the other was up with a hand placed against her chin in a thinking pose. "I don't think it's such a good idea."

"I'm injured Diana." The droid responded. "Even if I wanted to try something, I'm in no condition. Bring the Lasso with you. I give you my word that I won't resist."

The computer in front of Bruce sent out an alert that someone had accessed the training deck. He only had a few seconds left to communicate with Diana. He could feel that he was very close to convincing her to meet him at a location of her choosing. It had been quite the chore as Diana held no trust in him whatsoever. He felt like he had some sort of idea as to what he'd put her through for years when she worked and worked trying to convince him to let his guard down and let her in. He didn't want to wait years for this though as Clark seemed to have an ironclad grip on her. Bruce needed her for many reasons, most of them he wouldn't admit to, but if he could possibly sway her into believing that Superman needed to be stopped then he could also gain access to a weapon that would definitely incapacitate Clark long enough to have him imprisoned. First though he needed to get her to meet with him. "There isn't much time." He spoke into a microphone. "Someone's coming. Go to Gotham after midnight and choose a spot. I'll find you within an hour."

"How?" Diana asked the droid.

"Trust me." The droid responded. "Now destroy the droid before they enter."

Diana looked at the droid confused for a moment, but then performed a spinning back kick that connected with the droid's head and knocked it completely off. She watched the head as it rolled on the ground and glanced up to see the training room door opening up and granting Superman access. Superman crossed his arms over his broad chest as he stood there looking over at the Amazon. "Welcome back Kal." Diana said in greeting as she approached her friend.

"Training against a Batman simulation?" Superman asked as he made his way over to the control panel and reviewed the information that Diana had put into the program.

"Yes Kal." Diana answered. "I was angered after I heard what Batman was likely responsible for and thought that some training against him would be in order. We need to be ready in case he decides to attack."

Superman looked into Diana's eyes, searching for any possibility of deception from her. If Bruce had managed to work his way back into her memories, then he'd need to reprogram the nanites that resided in Diana's brain. He'd also have to tie up Bruce's flexibility and limit what he was capable of doing. He wasn't about to take on Batman again when it was a place where Bruce could gain the upper hand like he had at the Batcave, so he'd have to be more selective in how he confronted Batman the next time. "Lex is gathering the other members." Superman finally stated, breaking the silence that had been filling the room. "I have a couple of things to go over before you and I head down to the surface. I need your presence there when I announce the next steps in achieving world peace."

"Whatever you need from me Kal, I'll gladly help in the name of peace." Diana responded as she began to walk out with Superman following along with her.

~~ Oa ~~

The Guardians of the universe were concerned over what had been troubling Ganthet as of late. They held a council meeting in order to get to the bottom of it and questioned him directly. "I've been observing the Earth and believe that a shift in power has occurred." Ganthet responded.

"What concern is this to us Ganthet?" The rest of the Guardians questioned. "It is only one planet and power shifts among planets have occurred throughout the course of time."

"But my brothers, surely you should look closely due to the numerous amount of events that have originated from this planet as well as the numerous heroes that inhabit it." Ganthet offered in persuasion. "I believe that if we choose to ignore this new event, in time it could become a grave risk to ourselves as well."

"If such a change is occurring, then why have we not heard from the Green Lantern, Hal Jordan?" Lianna asked.

Ganthet lowered his head slightly almost in shame. "Jordan is one of the heroes that has become close to this event." He revealed. "His ally, Superman of Krypton is at the heart of this shift. Perhaps we would do well in requesting that Guy Gardner be brought back in."

"Very well Ganthet." Appa Ali Apsa conceded. "You may request information from the Green Lantern, Guy Gardner to dispute or support your beliefs."

~~ Watchtower Conference room ~~

Superman had spent the majority of the meeting going over his account of the situations that had occurred at Green Arrow's facility as well as Batman's. He'd covered his tracks well with Ollie. His explanation made sense to all of them, and even though they didn't want to believe that Ollie would actually attempt to kill the Man of Steel, the evidence at hand, more specifically the video feed of Ollie shooting the Kryptonite tipped arrow seemed to stem any argument for Ollie's innocence. Eventually both Barry and Hal conceded that based on Superman's account of what had happened combined with the video footage was enough to vindicate his actions. He seemed to be sincerely upset that he had to take Ollie's life as well, stating that he wished he could have found a way to avoid it. That brought the conversation back to the conclusion of Superman's visit to the Batcave.

"I still can't believe that Alfred would do that." Barry stated in disbelief.

"His mindset was manipulated by Bruce's own mistrust and paranoia towards the changes we're attempting to make." Superman explained. "He could only see that his family was in danger, and I don't blame Alfred for that. It's Bruce though that will have to answer for it in the end, and if there's even a shred of the man that we all once knew left in him then I'd be surprised if he's not looking at what his actions have caused so far. We need to make a decision about what to do with Bruce and announce it before the unveiling of the new Hall of Justice facility. The more time we wait, the greater risk we take in allowing Batman to concoct some sort of plan against us. He's clearly not the same man we used to work with."

"Be that as it may, I'm still concerned about some details of your escape from the Batcave." Green Lantern added.

"I thought you would be Hal." Superman responded before facing the whole room to address everyone. "I was actually saved by an unexpected ally. I'll admit that I was apprehensive at first, but Sinestro had nothing to gain from helping me. If he wanted to try and take over the world, then leaving me to die would've only made things easier for him in the long run."

"I'm still not convinced Superman." Hal countered. "Sinestro always looks out for his own best interests. Why the sudden change?"

"Even so, I'm going to keep an open line of communication with him for the time being. He assured me that he was in agreement with what he's heard about our vision and won't stand in our way." Superman responded. "Saying that, I want to reiterate that he's by no means being invited to join us yet, and even if that becomes an option to discuss in the future he'll have to prove his loyalty to our cause first. On another note, I'd like to announce that Lex has informed me the list of defender soldiers is at the ready and awaiting orders. I don't think we need to let such a resource wait when we can start making positive changes for the world now. That's why Diana and I are going to announce that we are officially replacing all forms of government in the interim with a singular entity that looks out for the entire world's best interests instead of being divided."

There was some rumbling amongst the other League members as to just how much strain that would put on the League, but Superman merely spent the rest of the meeting continuing down that path of planning for the new _One Earth Government_, assuring everyone that their role of world leaders was intended to only be temporary, and they would include members of the populous as advisers to help ease any burden, and the rest would fall upon their group of super soldier peace keepers to help maintain order until the troublesome people were either detained or accepted it as the expected standard of life. The rest of the meeting was spent basically talking in circles about if Superman's plan of action was a good idea or not, but in the end Superman overruled any objections. He wanted to make some real progress and if a little extra push was needed to do that, then he would provide it.

Superman then adjourned the meeting and walked with Diana to the personal quarters. She needed to change into her Wonder Woman regalia, and Superman made a short stop to his own personal quarters before heading down to the teleporter bay, where he found Cyborg performing some program upgrades. Superman used his x-ray vision to locate Diana, finding out just how much time he had before turning his attention to his mechanical ally. "Victor, I have a favor to ask." He said, causing Cyborg to halt what he was doing and provide the Man of Steel his undivided attention.

"Just tell me what you need." Cyborg responded.

"I want you to go to the training area, and do everything you can to see if anything was altered around the training session that Diana was in a little while ago." He instructed. "Report back to me and me only on what you find. Make sure the line is secure before making contact. And I need the results ASAP. Then I need you to assign someone to cover Diana's second shift of Monitor Duty. I need her with me during it."

"Sure thing Superman. I'll head down there now." Cyborg replied before turning away from a control panel and making his way out into the hallway.

Superman waited until the door slid shut before pulling out a device and looking at it closely. He'd need to make some modifications to the program in case he needed to use it again. He quickly hid the device when he heard the door whooshing open again, with Diana walking through immediately after. She offered a friendly and trusting smile toward Superman as she passed him and stepped onto the teleporter pad. Superman watched her as she walked by before he typed in the coordinates to the UN meeting location and joined her just in time as they both disappeared into the familiar blinding white light.


	16. Chapter 16: Crossing The Line

Batman makes a desperate attempt to help Diana recover her memories.

Chapter 16: Crossing The Line

* * *

There were many restless people amongst everyone in attendance for the U.N. meeting being held in New York that Superman and Diana had joined. As expected, many of the world's current leaders were not happy at all with what Superman had to say, but none of them really had much choice if they honestly thought about it. The President of the United States wasn't even in attendance and had seemingly disappeared as he hadn't made a public appearance in quite some time since Superman had located him in Roanoke, Virginia. The Man of Steel used that absence to focus his sights on the U.S. first. He informed everyone that he was going to march troops in and remove the remaining filth from the larger cities first before spreading his vision of peace across the rest of the country and then moving on from there. The one thing that Superman made sure to do was no matter the level of grumbling around him, he made it clear that this was going to happen, either by choice or by force.

Diana did the best she could to keep the conference peaceful, using her diplomatic knowledge as an ambassador for her homeland to help ease the tension whenever possible. Superman certainly didn't make that an easy task though as he threatened more than once to use force if needed in order to maintain peace between dueling countries. At that point any other topics had been thrown to the wind as everyone in attendance knew that the world around them was going to change and change rapidly now. That realization caused an outpouring of arguing about what it was that Superman was doing. Many of the people were shouting claims that Superman simply couldn't do that as he had no right, and his response was that how things were now simply wasn't working. He explained how his plans weren't to keep the power, but to only temporarily hold it until the world was molded into one where equality and peace weren't just pipe dreams. The few people that continued to argue were silenced by the sight of a Kryptonian glare with glowing red eyes pointed in their direction. After he'd made all of his points, Superman then made his exit.

Both heroes were immediately swarmed by the media when they exited the U.N. building, and they were hounded with questions about what their next steps were. Superman stepped forward and cleared his throat as he wanted to share with the world what he and the League were going to do. "We have a few things that we're doing first." Superman announced to the crowd. "We're setting up a government that has only the world's best interests in mind. To be sure that there's no favoritism, this government will not have ties to the countries of the world. In fact I've decided to call it the One Earth Government. I plan to sit with some of the world's leaders that actually desire peace and work out a course of action that seems fair for everyone in the world. Make no mistake that the way the world has been run is officially over. We've tried it this way for far too long, and we're no closer to peace than we were hundreds of years ago. I'm no longer okay with the status quo where children are forced to see their parents murdered or where a husband loses his entire family because of a truly sick and twisted individual that uses the way things are now to continually be allowed to repeat his murderous ways."

"You're referring to the death of Lois and her unborn child?" A reporter asked as confirmation. To which Superman held a pained look on his face, and only nodded in response.

"How do you plan to enforce this?" Another reporter asked.

"At first we wanted to start off slowly, and while we had some success stopping some wars as well as removing some corrupt leaders and dictatorships from power, that simply just wasn't enough." Superman answered. "At that rate even with my slower rate of aging, it would be likely that even I wouldn't live long enough to see world peace happen. In order to make a drastic change, we have to try something drastic, and try it now. That's why we've already established a group of men that will uphold our ideals and bring criminals to justice, and we're actively looking for volunteers that uphold these ideals we're setting forth. We can't allow insurrection or else all that we're going to build will be lost, and that brings me to another statement I'd like to share with the world. Not long ago I was attacked by two men. These men were both at one time thought to be teammates at the least, but also valued friends. Recently they used that established trust against me. Oliver Queen or perhaps better known as Green Arrow was one of these two men. Meeting him at his residence to question why he'd played a role in breaking into my home resulted in his attacking me with a Kryptonite tipped arrow. However when he saw that the one arrow wasn't enough, he pulled out a second and was aiming to fire, virtually leaving me with only one choice. It was an unfortunate tragedy that I wish could've been avoided, but I knew that if I did nothing that I wouldn't be here today. Before you ask any questions, I've already provided an official statement to the Justice League and other members collected evidence during an extensive investigation. In the end they found that I was only defending myself, and the entire report was turned into the proper authorities."

"You mentioned two men." One of the reporters in the back of the crowd mentioned as a reminder.

"That's correct." Superman responded. "The other man is still at large, and I believe that he is the mastermind behind the break in. This man has long been believed to be one of the most dangerous members of the Justice League based solely on his intellect. He's left me no choice but to take away any opportunity he has to evade detection. That's why at this time I'm saddened to have to announce that Batman is none other than the billionaire Bruce Wayne of Gotham City."

The crowd gasped in shock at the announcement Superman had just made. Revealing a hero's secret identity was ratings gold for the media. Unveiling Batman's identity was something that a reporter could only dream about having. It was hard just to get a glimpse of the Dark Knight, and to have his secret identity left the group in a frantic state to report it first. However Superman wasn't quite done yet. "As you're all aware, Batman is quite resourceful." He continued. "That's why we're freezing all of his Wayne Enterprises assets. He can't be allowed to threaten the world's chance as peace, and he's made it evident that he's more than willing to take that chance to do so. We're not sure why, but over the past few months he's become more and more isolated and unstable. It's been known that Batman takes the loss of life personally, and since the Joker is one of his main enemies and his responsibility in the losses of life with Metropolis weighing on Batman's conscious is causing his guilt to affect his choices. He's still to be considered extremely dangerous, and if you spot him or members of his family, do not try to apprehend him. Just call in to the authorities and we'll handle it from there."

The crowd erupted into more and more questions about the Dark Knight until Guy Gardner appeared and landed next to Superman, causing the crowd to become silent in anticipation for what had brought Green Lantern before Superman. Guy leaned in close to Superman's ear as he tried to prevent the nosey media members from hearing what he had to say. "Superman, I need you to end this meeting with the press." Guy explained. "Ganthet, one of the Lantern Corps Guardians has requested an audience with you."

Superman nodded his head before apologizing to the mass of reporters still around him. He lifted off in the air with Diana following quickly behind. She had no desire to address the media, especially after Superman's bombshell regarding Batman had just been released. She knew that Bruce would be angered by Kal's actions, but he'd brought them on himself by attacking Superman as well as gathering a team to break into the Fortress of Solitude. She also knew that this was likely her best chance to slip away and head to Gotham City. She had her Lasso of Truth, and was curious as to if Batman would actually show and keep his word on allowing her to question him while under the influence of the lasso. Before she left, she informed Kal that she had some things to tend to, and she'd return when he was finished with Ganthet. Superman hesitated for a moment before finally conceding that she didn't need to be at this meeting. He thought about warning her not to go to Batman, but after his super hearing had picked up what she was saying to the training droid the night before, he wanted to have some proof before he confronted her about not informing him of Batman's contact with her. She'd not had a chance to hide Batman's intrusion aboard the Watchtower as at that time Shayera was fuming too animatedly to sit and allow any questioning to occur. Diana would've known that she couldn't hide that from anyone, but this she could. In the training area that night, Superman had stayed outside of the door until he heard Diana kicking the droid's head off before walking in. He only needed to pause for a second to give her the time she needed. Now he was looking for just how much he needed to alter her memories or possibly even remove some of her control to keep her from defying him. For now though he needed to focus on his unexpected visitor. "Have Ganthet meet me at the Hall of Justice in New Metropolis." Superman instructed. "I certainly hope this is important since it's caused one of your Guardians to come to Earth."

"He seems to think so Supes." Guy responded. "Give me twenty minutes and we'll meet you there." Twenty minutes was more than enough time for Superman to check on Cyborg's progress as well as tend to one other item before Ganthet arrived, and he took off in the direction of the new facility as Guy went off to inform the Guardian of the location for his requested meeting.

~~ Insurgency Headquarters ~~

A batarang flew through the air seemingly in slow motion. It curved ever so slightly before finally striking a television screen. Glass spread all over the ground as the sound of the screen shattering echoed through the area. Bruce was heaving in uncontrolled breaths after having heard Superman give away his secret identity. Especially with Tim and Barbara still having not returned from picking up supplies that they would all need. Bruce was enraged by what Superman had done with just a few words and cameras involved. His life outside of Batman had basically been ripped away from him because of that. Only he wasn't the only one that would suffer from it. No one that would stand against Superman would be, and it wasn't just him and his adopted family that was affected, but the Dinah's of the world too. She'd have nowhere to go now because of her affiliation as Green Arrow's widow. And with Ollie's funeral taking place today of all days, it would certainly turn into a circus all because Clark thought that it would make things more difficult for Bruce. Oh how wrong he was. Even seizing all of Bruce's Wayne Enterprises assets wouldn't stop him. Clark had hurt his family's quality of life now, and do what you want to Bruce, he'd be fine, but his family was the one thing that you do not mess with. Those that do would be answering to Batman in a most unpleasant way.

When Bruce regained control of his anger towards Clark, he went over to the computer again and pulled up the durability enhancement files. He moved around as best he could with the wheelchair, setting up equipment, and before long he was running the program to begin production of the Kryptonian nanotech based pill. With the program running, the next thing Bruce did while waiting for the completion of the first batch of pills was reach out to Tim and Barbara. Luckily for them, they were walking passed a store front with televisions pointed outward during Superman's announcement. No one had noticed either of them as they slowly slipped away from the public's eye. Commissioner Gordon had called Barbara in a panic soon after the announcement as well, telling Barbara in cryptic words that he always knew about her late night activities with Bruce, Dick, and now Tim. Jim wanted her to come home immediately before someone noticed any of them, but Barbara managed to get him calmed down eventually. The only downside to that was she had to promise him that she'd come home as soon as she was able to make sure that Tim was back with Bruce in their secure location. She was half expecting Bruce's response so she wasn't surprised when he'd agreed that she should go home as well, but he also added that there was a chance that Superman would hold the Commissioner accountable for Gotham's crime rate as even with all the good that Batman and the Commissioner had done, Gotham was still a dangerous place to call home. She argued that they had to get the rest of the team they'd established back together sooner rather than later, and even though Bruce had told her that her father was to be first priority, he knew deep down that he'd need her help at some point if he were to have any chance of gaining an upper hand against Clark. However instead of arguing, he remained silent when Barbara made her points, and she told him that they'd discuss things further when she got back to headquarters.

When Barbara closed the connection, Bruce concluded that she was right, and he needed to gather the rest of the team together once again. It was especially important for the ones that had been spotted at the Fortress of Solitude. He also needed to begin thinking about who else might be willing to stand against Superman. Perhaps Aquaman could be considered an ally, as he'd certainly have an interest if all surface dwellers as he called them were run under just one faction. Also having Superman as that faction's leader could potentially be disastrous for his people if they were ever to cross each other. Aquaman also respected Batman's opinion, and Batman needed Arthur as well to at a minimum discuss the possibility of a last ditch effort to stop Superman. Bruce's train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the computer making a beeping noise. He looked at a message that had appeared on the screen, and saw that he only contained enough materials to create three pills. That would have to be enough for now.

~~ New Hall of Justice Building ~~

"What brings one of the Guardians of the Universe to Earth?" Superman asked as Ganthet touched down to the floor with Guy and Hal flanking on each side of him.

"I'd like to first remind you that I come to this world merely as an ambassador and friend." Ganthet said in greeting. "I've traveled here to advise of what we believe could be happening, but not to interfere."

"What advice do you have for us, and how can we help you Ganthet?" Superman responded.

"I've come to request that you stop what you're doing." Ganthet answered.

"Stop what I'm doing?" Superman asked in a surprised tone. "I'm helping to protect the people of Earth. Why would you want me to stop doing that?"

"You cannot protect the people of this world by controlling them." Ganthet explained. "These humans have earned the right to make their own choices, and what you're about to do is remove their free will. There is no peace to be found with this path."

"I'm one of the people of this world, and I think with that…"

"But you are not of this world, Kal El." Ganthet interrupted.

Superman showed his displeasure at being spoken over, but let it go without raising issue with it. "You're right." Superman agreed. "I'm not of this world. My home world was destroyed and its people perished because of the ignorance of its world's leaders. If they'd have acted instead of trying to live with their ignorance, then maybe Krypton could've been saved. I'm not about to let that same mistake happen to this world."

"As Guardians, we have watched many civilizations rise and fall through time." Ganthet stated. "I know that it is a difficult decision to not act, but the people of Earth must be allowed to follow their own path without interference."

"One of these civilizations was Krypton wasn't it?" Superman asked. He then sat in silence, waiting for Ganthet to respond until it was apparent that any answer wouldn't be coming, and this lack of a response enraged Superman. "How dare you lecture me when you've already doomed one planet that I would've called home. Now you try to tell me to allow something like that to happen on my new home world?"

Ganthet floated closer into the face of Superman in an attempt to better get his point across. "You're people have only themselves to blame for the fall of Krypton." He seethed. "Know that we cannot allow you to rule the people of this planet Superman."

"Is that some sort of threat?" Superman asked. He was incensed that this _Guardian_ thought that he could come here and threaten him. Superman hovered up over the Guardian, his eyes beginning to glow a brilliant bright red.

Ganthet floated up to meet Superman in the air, a green aura glowing brightly around him in anticipation of any possible confrontation. "No." He responded. "It is merely a warning."

Meanwhile the two Green Lanterns were both still shocked into silence. Hal couldn't believe that the Guardians wouldn't have lifted a finger to help the planet of Krypton if they were aware of its approaching demise, and Guy was concerned about what was happening before their very eyes. In an attempt to help calmer heads prevail, Guy levitated up and placed himself between the two of them. Noticing this, Ganthet powered down and lowered back to the floor while Superman remained confrontational. "Get off my planet." Superman barked as he finally lowered himself to the ground in front of the Guardian.

"Very well Superman." Ganthet conceded before turning toward Hal and Guy. "Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner, you are to return to Oa with me."

Superman watched as Ganthet made his exit, Guy Gardner following after him. Hal was still in the room with Superman. He was conflicted about his allegiances from being a part of the Justice League, but also a part of the Green Lantern Corps. Eventually he made the decision to follow orders and went to join Guy and Ganthet before they departed Earth. When they had all exited the new Hall of Justice, Superman took a seat next to what would soon be the main conference room table and let out a frustrated sigh as he was still angered by the threat. In the background though, his attention was brought to the feint sound of footsteps approaching him. "You were right." He said without even turning to face who was approaching him. "They knew about Krypton and didn't lift a finger to help."

"I'm sorry Superman." Sinestro stated as he came to a stop next to the Man of Steel. "They shouldn't be permitted to be called Guardians. They guard nothing but their own ideals and power. Now like me, you're going to be considered a threat, and they will return to try and stop you. Know that when that time comes, you can rely on my Sinestro Corps being available for any needed support to your campaign."

"I appreciate your willingness to help Sinestro, and I may very well take you up on it." Superman replied. "I'm going to have you join me during the next League meeting. We need to be prepared for any attempt of transgression against us."

"As you command." Sinestro responded before turning on his heel and walking out of the room.

Superman sat there in silence as his mind began going over what all would need to be done if the Green Lantern Corps were to make an attempt to remove him from power. He still had so much to do, and he needed to assume as much control of the world as he could while at the same time being sure that they were also ready for an imminent attack. He'd definitely be pulling on Sinestro and his own Corps to help deflect some of the attack, and he would need to build the strength of his ground forces as well. But first, he needed to ensure that Diana remained on the side of the One Earth Government regime. That meant reaching out to Cyborg for what he hoped would be the final update on any findings from the training room.

~~ Insurgency Headquarters ~~

Tim and Barbara had finally made their way back from gathering supplies that the Insurgency would need. They weren't pointed out while they were gone, and thought that perhaps they could've returned quicker if they'd not been overly careful, but each of them knew that this place had to remain a secret as long as possible as they would quickly run out of places to hide away in if they slipped up. Bruce may have been a paranoid billionaire, but even he only had so many places that offered protection from a Kryptonian's powers being able to locate them. It wasn't until they had begun putting away some of the supplies that they noticed Bruce was nowhere to be found. In one of the corners of the facility, they could hear machinery cranking away at something that Bruce had obviously started. They thought perhaps that he could've been out of sight overseeing whatever it was that he was up to with the equipment until Tim walked up to the computer that controlled the equipment and noticed a note stuck to the monitor screen.

_Tim and Barbara,_

_Contact Canary and Zatanna then locate Selina and Commissioner Gordon. I want them all brought in. I have some items to address and I'll be back._

_B_

Tim handed the note off to Barbara before gazing at a tray that was sitting out on the table next to the equipment. Barbara read the note and then noticed Tim picking up the tray as he inspected it. Realization hit Barbara as she noticed the same thing Tim had. "There's a pill missing, but where is it?" She asked.

"That's easy if you know where Bruce is." Tim added with a hint of sarcasm, earning him an elbow to his side.

~~ Wayne Enterprises rooftop, Dusk ~~

When Diana left the U.N. conference in New York, she took her time in flying over to Gotham as it was still early in the evening. With Superman virtually unmasking Batman to the media earlier, Diana knew that getting Bruce to show himself in the daylight was simply out of the question. She also wasn't sure just how long it would take Bruce to locate her if she were to pick some random building with no affiliation to either of them so instead she chose the Wayne Enterprises building. From that height in the sky, she could watch the sun as it set and enjoy a little bit of free time for herself. Sometimes just taking in a few of the smaller things in life was enough to recharge her drive for what she stood for, and being able to enjoy a simple sunset was one of those things. When the sun finally did disappear from view, Diana stood up and peered over the ledge of the building down into the streets below as she watched the people going about their lives. Diana wondered just how aware the people were of all the change that was about to occur, and just how much it would effect each one of them.

Batman arrived on the rooftop utilizing a secret entrance to come out onto the same rooftop as Diana. He'd tracked her easily using pure logic. Of course she would choose a location that he was intimately familiar with. She was nearly invulnerable anyways, and she also seemed interested in questioning him. He was able to get through the passageway undetected, and spotted Diana looking down upon the populous. "You didn't make it very challenging to find you Princess." Batman stated in his deep baritone voice, causing Diana to flinch just enough that he noticed it.

Diana turned around to face Bruce and smirked at him. "At times like these I find it hard to believe that you have no super powers Bruce." She responded. "No one is able to sneak up on someone, even on a Meta with enhanced hearing, better than you do."

"Silence is just a part of my training Diana." Batman replied as he took a few steps toward her, trying to maintain an aura that read he wasn't there to be confrontational while attempting to hide the limp from his still healing bones.

Diana immediately noticed the cane he was using as its bottom protruded passed the protection of his cape. She was instantly concerned about his wellbeing, and realized immediately at just how natural it felt to be concerned about Bruce's health. That was a response which she thought to be odd considering that every memory in her head was telling her that an enemy was approaching, but her body refused to comply to that response. She quickly centered herself and cleared her throat as she reached for the Lasso of Truth. "I hope you don't mind, but the quicker we get to this the more time we'll have." She said as she made a hangman's knot around one end and held it up for him to see.

Bruce took the looped end from Diana's grasp and slid it down over his head until it was around his waist. "I agree Princess." He responded. "Let's get this over with so that you can finally have the truth."

"You seem rather confident that something is keeping me from the truth." Diana replied before beginning with her first question. "What do you think could be causing this truth you speak of from being hidden from me?"

"I'm not sure." He answered. "I've been trying to find out what's been done to your memories, and if it's permanent or not."

"My memories?" Diana asked in surprise. "What do you think could've been done to affect my memories?"

"I believe the some of your memories have been either taken away or masked from your subconscious." Bruce answered.

"But I don't feel any lapses in time or gaps." Diana countered.

"You haven't had whole days taken from you it seems." Bruce offered. "Only specific memories have been removed. Specifically you've lost any memories of your time spent with me other than what's been fabricated."

"And what memories do you believe have been fabricated?" She requested.

"Without knowing any specifics, I'd say that any of them with regard to my betrayal of you or of the Justice League."

Diana was taken aback slightly by the information that she'd received. If not for having the Lasso of Truth tied to him and compelling only the truth from him, she'd have a hard time believing him. Undeterred, she continued questioning Bruce on why he stood against Kal's vision with Bruce describing how he couldn't follow a man that was willing to murder in order to get his way. It was certainly an approach that seemed familiar to Diana about Bruce, but her mind just couldn't wrap around him as being driven by that. He was supposed to have been attacking the League ever since his desertion, exploiting any weaknesses that he'd known about on his former teammates. In his description of what he was actually doing, that seemed to be very far from the truth.

Eventually Diana moved to Green Arrow's and Batman's attacks on Superman. While Bruce didn't have much in the way of details about what happened with Ollie, he was adamant that Green Arrow wouldn't try to kill Superman, only incapacitate him. However when Diana switched over to the battle at the Batcave, she could see that Bruce had become more sullen in his body language, and it was the first time that he actually fought against answering her questions. "Don't fight it Bruce." She encouraged. "You're only going to cause pain to yourself. Why are you fighting to answer about what happened in the cave during the night that Kal was injured?"

Bruce squirmed under the control of the lasso. He wanted out of it now more than ever as Diana had finally found a question that brought very painful memories to the forefront of his mind. He fought for over a minute to Diana's astonishment before finally losing the battle to keep his mouth shut. "Be…..Because….I don't like…..revealing my emotions." He revealed through clenched teeth. "Al…..Alfred….sacrificed himself….to save me….it should've…been me that gave his life…it was my mission…..not Alfred's cross to bear."

"You would've died though." Diana surmised. "Why does your life mean so little to you?"

"Because of a promise, and…" Bruce bit his bottom lip as he attempted to fight off expanding on his answer. He didn't want to reveal this to her without her memories returned. It would almost be too much for him to take if she turned him away because of not remembering, but fight it as much as he could, but it was simply not possible with that damn golden cord tied around his waist. "And…I've…I've lost more than I ever thought I would. Lost my parents, I lost my son Dick, I've lost Alfred, and… and….I've lost…..you."

Bruce was panting and gasping for air after all the misplaced effort he took in trying to hide his answer about her. Diana's eyes shot wide open upon hearing that. Her heart wanted to break for the man in front of her after he'd revealed all that he'd lost, but when the list included her she was greatly confused. "How could you have lost me?" She asked to herself before realizing that the magic in the lasso wouldn't care and would force him to answer that question as well.

Bruce however had little fight left in him at that point, and couldn't resist the urge to speak the truth. "Until two months ago….you and I were together…..romantically." He answered in between breaths as he continued to recover from fighting against the enchanted lasso.

"How is that..." Diana started again until she noticed Bruce looking up at her almost pleading with her to remove the lasso, which she did and immediately noticed the relief wash over him. "How is it possible that we were together and I have absolutely no memory of it?"

"I wish I knew Diana." Bruce responded as he straightened back up and worked to regain his composure. "I fought to keep a safe distance between us for years while you constantly worked your way into my heart for this very reason. A part of me was terrified that I'd hurt you or even worse, lose you. Now I find myself wishing that I hadn't wasted all that time pushing you away because it would've been that much more time together. I was with you just long enough to know that you wouldn't be a detriment to my mission, and that had been my only driving force for over twenty years."

"I pursued you?" Diana asked as she fought against her memories, trying to grasp what Batman was telling her as the truth. "Why would I pursue a man?"

"If only I had the answer to that Princess." Bruce responded with a small smile.

Diana was surprised at how much she seemed to enjoy seeing that smile on Bruce's face. Why was her body reacting so strongly to this man when her mind simply couldn't even remember a single fond memory of being with him? She continued to fight internally against her memories, but to no avail. It was incredibly frustrating for her because of how badly she wanted to be able to recall these moments with Bruce and couldn't. Trying to think of anything that could possibly jar her memories to return, an idea finally came to her. "Bruce, can I ask you to do something for me?" She asked.

"What is it?" He responded with a question of his own. He knew that he'd doing almost anything within his power for Diana if she asked him to.

"I need you to take off the cowl for me." She requested and watched as he initially struggled with the thought until realization struck him that it didn't matter since he had no identity to hide anymore. She watched closely as he reached up and unlatched the locks before sliding the cowl up and over his head to reveal his whole face to her. Diana temporarily became lost in Bruce's eyes as they revealed just how vulnerable he was allowing himself to be around her while he waited to see what she was thinking. "Now Bruce, kiss me."

It was Bruce's turn to show shock on his face, even taking a step back. Diana had just gone from thinking him an enemy to wanting him to kiss her in a matter of a couple of hours. At first he wondered if it was a trick of some kind, but looking into Diana's eyes, he could still see the woman that he loved inside. It was then that he made his decision, stepping forward and raising his hand up as he gently cupped her jaw before raising the other hand and sliding his fingers of that hand through the long tresses at the back of her head. Gently he pulled her closer as she tilted her head and closed her eyes expectantly. Bruce paused for a moment when they were so close to contact that he could almost feel her lips in anticipation of the contact to come. Another second passed and Diana moved forward instead, her lips gently mashing up against Bruce's. She felt a jolt of electricity course up her spine as his lips began to move against hers. Without even realizing it, Diana's lips parted and allowed Bruce access to deepen the kiss, which he did fervently as if he'd become a man desperate for Diana's touch. She quickly matched the intensity of his kiss as her arms wrapped around his neck to keep him close. Within a few moments, some things began to pop into her head. A large, elegantly designed bed with the softest of white linens atop it and the fluffiest of pillows. She remembered the feel of the silk fabric against her bare back and the sinewy yet scar covered muscles pressed against her front, and her body began to respond to these memories, quickly overwhelming her senses. Diana had to end the kiss as she was now desperate for some air, sucking in deep breaths like a mortal that had just completed a marathon. She rested her forehead against his and opened her eyes to see him staring back at hers. This man had to have been created by none other than the Goddess Aphrodite herself to have such an effect on Diana. "I remember…." She began before taking in another deep breath. "I remember a..."

Bruce wanted so very badly to help Diana to recall what she'd had taken from her, but he knew that she needed to work it out for herself, otherwise it would've just been someone else's words being spoken to her. As Diana caught her breath and became more and more composed, what little she had recalled quickly faded away. She knew it was there though. "We need to discover what's happened to my memories Bruce." She proclaimed. "I know now that regardless of what my mind is telling me, you're a good man, and we will discover what happened. I believe you Bruce, regardless of what my memories are trying to tell me."

"We need to perform some tests and see if any alterations have been made to your physiology." Bruce stated. "Without J'onn alive, there shouldn't be a being within the Justice League powerful enough to control your mind without being right there next to you. Perhaps magic or something else could've been used to alter your memories, and we can check that out too. If you're willing to go through with this though, Clark can't know. I think he's intricately involved with this. He has the most to lose if you were to decide not to stand with him."

"Alright Bruce." Diana agreed. "I'll head back to the Watchtower and gather some of my medical records, and then meet you back in Gotham City. Give me a few hours and I'll make contact." With that said Diana knelt down and picked up Bruce's recently discarded cowl. She looked deep into his eyes that portrayed nothing but the unequivocal love that he had for her as she slowly slid the cowl back down over his head until it was firmly back in place. Then Diana surprised herself and him as well when she leaned in and pressed her lips against his once more before turning and flying off.

Bruce watched Diana as she flew away until she was out of sight. He was going to turn and head back to the secret entrance of the tower, but he could feel a presence behind him, and knew exactly who it was. He allowed his cape to drape around him as one hand reached for a compartment in his utility belt. "I wondered how long it would take Cyborg to trace Diana's communicator, even with my blocking its signal Clark."

"You always were cautious Bruce." Clark stated as he touched down on behind Batman. "Just not careful enough this time. You've gotten sloppy when it comes to Diana."

"I'll admit that I've made some mistakes being on the opposite side of the Justice League, Clark." Bruce responded quietly. "But I'm at a disadvantage now. Our other enemies never had to deal with a murderous Kryptonian when they went up against the League so I have little information to go on."

"I think you're just blind to your own guarded emotions Bruce." Clark fired back with some irritation evident in his voice. "You still think you have a shot at swaying Diana over to your side."

"Judging from what you just saw, it seems fairly evident that I do." Bruce said as he looked out over across the city, planning his next moves.

"Diana's all about peace." Clark responded. "She's not going to change her mind on who's going to bring that about for the world. Not if I have anything to say about it."

Bruce's anger grew at hearing Clark's words. "What did you do to her Clark?" He asked accusingly. "Are you going to turn her into your own personal puppet and control her just like the rest of the world to keep her in line? You'll never bring peace to the world. Not so long as you try to do it with force. You've already killed Ollie. Alfred gave his life to keep you from killing anyone else that same night. Wake up Clark. You're the one that's delusional."

"I'd say the one that's delusional is a man that keeps his back turned to Superman." Clark fired back, his eyes beginning to glow bright red. "Turn and face me!"

Batman closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath in anticipation for what was about to come as he reached up and placed the durability enhancement pill into his mouth and swallowed just before he turned around to face his former friend.


	17. Chapter 17: Bring On The Corps

Superman is confronted by a new adversary.

Chapter 17: Bring On The Corps

* * *

Batman took in his surroundings, looking at all avenues of attack, defense, and escape if necessary. From his current position, he wouldn't be able to move back without plummeting off the rooftop. Superman certainly had the safest ground, closer to the center of the roof and the secret entrance to Wayne Enterprises was behind him. "Is this the point where you kill me just like you did Ollie?" Batman asked as he continued to seek out all available options.

"You could just give up Bruce." Superman responded in a cocky tone while crossing his arms over top of his chest. "It's not like you have anywhere to go."

"I'm sure I can find my own way Clark." Batman replied as he took his cane and threw it directly at Superman followed by a smoke bomb.

Superman used his heat vision to disintegrate the cane before it struck him, but it also caused the smoke bomb to go off as well. Batman used that distraction to launch forward with a straight right to Superman's jaw. As expected, the punch was painful for Bruce, but surprisingly it also seemed to cause Superman some pain too as his head snapped back from the power behind it just as a normal criminal's head would before. However Clark quickly countered with a punch aimed at Bruce's midsection, but Bruce was able to flip back out of the way. He smirked at the sight of Bruce still knowing he had to avoid any possible strikes as he wiped his mouth with his forearm. "You're moving around pretty well for a man with broken arms and legs." Superman taunted. "I suppose you should be thanking me for that Bruce, since you obviously took the technology from me."

Bruce's anger began to boil over as Superman was obviously thinking that he could just joke around. He took a defensive stance and glared in a manner that had he been granted heat vision, Clark would be a melted puddle. "Thanking you for what Clark?" Bruce shot back. "The fact that you broke all of my appendages or that in order to get passed that I had to resort to your little _miracle_ pill? How about the fact that I have to bring in yet another person that was once a good friend of mine for the murders you've already committed, let alone the ones that you'll have to in order to remain in power?"

The smirk on Superman's face fell to a more serious look upon hearing Bruce's desire to remain standing against him, and he quickly charged forward, readied a mighty swing with his left that missed, but followed it up with an open palmed strike that hit Bruce square in the chest. The force of the blow caused Bruce to tumble off the rooftop, his feet barely catching the ledge enough to keep him from flying across into the side of a neighboring building. As he was tumbling to the ground, Bruce pulled out his grapnel and fired it toward another building so that he could swing down to a lower rooftop. As soon as he landed, Clark was right back on top of him, swinging with various rights and lefts. Being the better technical fighter, Bruce was able to evade and counter occasionally when he could find openings, but none of his strikes were doing much to deter Clark from continuing his assault. Bruce knew that it was only a matter of time until Clark would get bored of trying and failing to bright him down with just his hands, and resort to the heat vision again, or to the point where he'd eventually wear Bruce down and overpower him. Not wanting to get to that point, he quickly pulled out an explosive batarang and got in close where he relied on his Keysi Fighting Method training for combat as in close he could better leverage self defense. When he dodged another right hook, Bruce slammed the batarang against Clark's face as hard as he could. Upon impact, the batarang exploded, blowing Batman back a few steps and melting the inside of his glove. He wasted little time in attacking though, starting off with a leg sweep that took Superman off his feet. Batman pounced immediately to press the advantage while it lasted, and was instantly on top of Clark delivering thunderous strikes to the sides of his face. His attack was beginning to have a positive effect on Superman as damage was beginning to reveal on Clark's face after a number of strikes made contact.

Superman couldn't believe how successful Bruce was against him to this point, even with the Kryptonian nanotech helping him. He needed to get Bruce backed off and his eyes glowed red as he was about to use his heat vision, but Bruce saw it coming and rammed one of his forearms under Clark's chin to keep his eyes averted. He had to be certain that Clark couldn't use his heat vision against him as even though he had taken the enhancement pill he had no defense against that. He also latched onto one of Clark's wrists to block an attempted hook that came from Clark's free arm. Both men growled as they were expending everything they had, trying to gain the upper hand. "What the hell is wrong with you Clark?" Batman spat out through clenched teeth. "Do you even look at what you're doing anymore?"

"I do what's necessary to bring this world order and peace to Earth." Clark stated back as he continued attempting to get free from Bruce's hold.

"By killing Ollie?" Batman asked incredulously. "By costing Dick his life? How about Alfred, Clark? Wouldn't him giving his life standing against you give you some pause to at least think about if what you're doing is right? How many more will it take until before you realize what you've allowed yourself to become? You're falling down the same slope that the Joker did."

"Never speak his name around me again!" Clark yelled as he finally was able to maneuver his body enough to shove Bruce up into the air. He quickly composed himself before shooting up into the air and belting Bruce in the side. Batman went flying passed several buildings as he attempted to shake the wooziness From Superman's strike off and regain his bearings. He used his grapnel once more to help soften his landing onto the street just quickly enough to keep from slamming down. As soon as his feet touched down he rolled over utilizing his own momentum to carry him back over and onto his feet. Unfortunately for Bruce though he again didn't have much time to prepare for Superman as the Kryptonian landed directly in front of him. Superman noticed Batman glancing around and assumed he was looking for an escape route. This assumption caused him to smirk in belief that victory was going to come quickly for him. "You're not getting away this time." He taunted. "There's no Alfred here to save you now Bruce."

"You son of a bitch!" Bruce yelled as he lunged forward at Superman with staggering speed that caught the Man of Steel by surprise. Before he knew it Clark found that now he was the one struggling to block all of the kicks and punches being sent his way as Bruce's rage seemed to provide him with an extra level of viciousness. Even though he was fighting on pure rage filled instinct, he was still targeting Superman from all different angles, and many of the strikes were hitting their mark. Superman attempted to fly up into the air in order to create some distance, but Batman used his grapnel to ensnare him on an arm. He quickly hit the retract button and was back on top of Superman again, continuing his assault. The Man of Steel attempted to shove Batman away as he touched back down to the ground, but Bruce saw it coming and caught Superman by the wrist and elbow. He used the Man of Steel's own poor positioning and momentum to leverage that arm as a catapult of sorts, sending Superman tumbling head over heels. When Clark finally came to a stop and climbed back up to his feet, he felt the impact of a batarang hitting him in the back of the head just before it exploded and sent him back to his hands and knees once again. He turned quickly, his heat vision cutting through the now smoke filled air, but not hitting anything. Superman growled in frustration as he climbed back to his feet and dusted himself off when he was interrupted by a beeping sound from his communicator. He clicked on it to open the channel and was instantly angered by the voice he heard in his ear. "This isn't over Clark. Not by a long shot. I promise you that I'm going to stop you even if it's the last thing I do." Batman warned.

"Get back here Bruce." Superman demanded as he lifted off the ground and began searching anywhere that Bruce could've slipped away to. "You'll have to stop me now in order to have any shot at Diana."

"What did you do to her?" Batman seethed.

"I made sure that she knew the right side to stand on." Clark fired back. "Your grip on her was strong, but not strong enough Bruce."

"And I'm on the wrong side?" Bruce questioned vehemently. "Listen to yourself Clark. Diana is supposed to be your friend, and you're telling me that you're manipulating her into falling in line. You've lost your damn mind. Lois would be disgusted…"

"Don't you dare tell me how Lois would feel." Superman interrupted as he found a heat signature along the streets and landed, ripping away some of the ragged clothing only to reveal that it was just a homeless man and not Bruce in disguise. "I'm doing all of this for her, and you won't stop me."

"We'll see Clark, we'll see." Bruce responded defiantly before cutting the transmission.

Superman quickly switched channels and opened another channel. "Cyborg, block any transmissions to Diana's communicator."

"Already ahead of you there Superman." Cyborg responded. "I did that as soon as she came aboard and it'll remain in place until I can ensure that Batman can't hack into our frequencies again."

"Is she still aboard the Watchtower?" Superman asked.

"Yeah, but she said something about heading out again soon though." Cyborg answered.

"No one is to leave, especially Diana." Superman commanded. "Batman's manipulating her mind. Teleport me up now and I'll talk to her so that she understands."

During the fight when Batman was glancing around, he'd caught sight of Tim and Barbara in disguise next to a manhole cover. Bruce then manipulated the fight to position himself where he could knock Superman away and escape before he could use any of his powers to locate the three of them. Bruce then worked his way down into the sewer system with Barbara and Tim following alongside him. They were both livid with Bruce for taking off like that, especially when they spotted him fighting alone against Superman. He'd done enough to have an understanding about the pill and what it could do as some of Superman's shots still had managed to crack some of the bones in Bruce's body. The pain was minimal, especially during the fight thanks to the adrenaline coursing through his system, but as it faded he knew the aches and pains would surely return with a vengeance. "What the hell were you thinking?" Barbara argued asked argumentatively, breaking the silence when they were far enough away from the location of the fight. "Not even two hours ago you were in a wheelchair thanks to Superman beating you like a ragdoll."

"I didn't come here with the intention of looking for a fight with Clark." Bruce responded as he turned a corner and recognized exactly where they were located. "I brought the pill with me just in case."

"Then why?" Barbara continued to push. "And how did you even get there if you only had the pill _just in case_?"

"I have my ways to travel where I want or need to go, and I used some WayneTech exoskeleton equipment under the Batsuit so that I could walk and move around with a cane to help support my weight." Bruce explained. "Clark showed up, I took the pill, and now we know the limitations that come with taking it."

"Yeah, like how you were standing pretty much toe to toe with Supes." Tim added. "So when do we try taking him down now?"

"We don't." Bruce answered quickly before he elaborated. "At least not one on one. Yes, I was able to stand up against Clark, but I was starting to feel fatigue setting in even with the pill's enhancements. Superman's invulnerability was starting to become a disadvantage, and I knew that eventually I wouldn't have been able to continue holding him off. I wasn't certain, but never expected to be able to take out Superman without some extra help in either having Kryptonite or a team of us with the enhancement pills to bring him down, but that's still only good for so long."

"So what do you think we need to do?" Tim asked. "Lure him to a place with Kryptonite around it?"

"No, Clark would be expecting that." Bruce responded. "He's becoming more cautious and more calculating in his movements, and knowing who he's up against combined with what I believe is setting in as a severe case of insomnia, he's going to begin questioning everything."

"Insomnia?" Barbara questioned. "What makes you think that he's suffering from that?"

"I could see it in his eyes." Bruce answered. "Not even a Kryptonian's body apparently can hide the signs of that forever. In fact, I'd wager that before Alfred left him injured, he hadn't slept very much at all since before the Metropolis incident."

"What makes you say that?" Tim asked.

"My best guess would be that he's probably suffering from nightmares and stays awake in order to avoid them." Bruce explained with confidence evident in his voice.

"You seem pretty sure about that." Barbara commented.

"It's what I've done for years." Bruce added, causing Barbara and Tim to stop and look at each other for a few moments. They both knew that Bruce had issues with his parents' deaths and that he'd become consumed by investigations resulting in his forgoing sleep, but he'd hidden from both of them about his nightmares driving him to the brink of insomnia or at the very least, pure exhaustion. When Bruce disappeared around another turn, Barbara and Tim managed to find the ability to pick their jaws up off the ground and quickly catch back up to Bruce.

"So….what's our next step?" Tim asked.

"We get in touch with Arthur." Bruce replied. "Then you two bring in the rest of the team, and I'll bring in Diana."

"Diana?!" Barbara puzzlingly replied. "Wonder Woman's decided to stand against Superman?" She asked as that had been news to her, but it would certainly be welcomed having the Amazon princess on their side. "To this point, Wonder Woman seemed to support Superman's actions."

"Superman's been manipulating her in some way and tonight she showed signs that she was coming out of it." Bruce answered. "We need both her and Arthur. We'll have to ask Dinah for something that has Green Arrow's DNA as well. With the three of them, I'll be able to unlock a weapon I designed to take down Superman. Once we hit him with that, we should have enough time to contain him in an old Cadmus facility. Years ago they designed a room in multiple facilities with red sunlight radiation specifically designed to keep Superman's powers in check so that he wouldn't be able to break out on his own."

~~ Dinah's Apartment ~~

After the conclusion of Ollie's funeral, Dinah just couldn't bring herself to return to Ollie's mansion. She'd have to go through his personal effects on another day. So that she could stay at her old apartment for the night, Dinah stopped by a local grocery store where she picked up enough supplies to make dinner for the evening. If she were to admit it though, she really wasn't very hungry at the moment and really just wanted to crawl into bed and cry herself to sleep. She never realized just how much Ollie meant to her until he'd been taken from her. She was extremely angry at Superman for what he'd done, and vowed that when she got her hands on him, he'd regret it. As she arrived at her apartment door, she pushed it open with her hip as her hands were full with the bags of groceries. Her mind was preoccupied with thoughts about what she was going to do next, and this distracted her enough that she didn't notice she hadn't unlocked the door when she pushed her way inside. Once she set her groceries down on the counter in the kitchen though, her senses kicked in for her as she knew that she wasn't alone. Dinah quickly went to a defensive stance. "Whoever you are, you picked the wrong person's apartment to break into." She called out.

"Oh I don't know about that." Guy responded as he entered the kitchen from a neighboring hallway. "After all, I've known for a while that the infamous Black Canary resides here."

Dinah relaxed her posture at the realization that it was Guy Gardener in her apartment and not some thief. But that still begged the question. "What are you doing here Guy?" She asked.

"I…I heard about Ollie." Guy replied quietly. "I wanted to see how you were holding up. Ollie was a respected colleague and a good man."

Dinah's knees quivered as she was becoming overwhelmed by the amount of time that she'd had to put up a strong front. Guy's added commiseration was like the straw that broke the camel's back. Guy noticed this and quickly made a chair construct behind her before she collapsed onto the ground. He walked over and sat next to her, waiting patiently for Dinah to compose herself. When Dinah managed to collect herself, she spilled about how she'd heard Superman's actions over the phone while Ollie was taking his last precious breaths of air, and then how they were reporting Green Arrow as an enemy of the peace and an outlaw to the newly formed One Earth Government. She explained how Batman had formed a team of any other heroes that would stand against Superman and his extreme measures of subjugation.

Guy almost couldn't believe what he was hearing, and hearing all that caused him to have to ask if Dinah felt that Superman could've been led to possibly have killed Kyle Rainer, and Dinah only nodded in response. Guy remained there with Dinah until his ring began to flash, indicating that it was time to make his leave and return to Oa. He stood and walked over to the door before pausing and looking back over his shoulder. "One of the Guardians of the Universe came with me to Earth and met with Superman earlier today. The meeting became a little…heated to say the least." He explained. "Superman was warned that if he didn't change his stance, the Guardians of the Universe would stop him. With a group of people like you and Bats on our side, that'd only help to remove Superman from power. Then he'll have to answer for what he's done. Make sure your team's ready for if the strike does come. I'll contact you when the time comes, but until then, be safe and don't get caught. There's been enough innocent lives lost."

Dinah stood and met Guy at the door way as she wrapped him in a thankful hug for being there while she vented on what all had been happening. She'd needed a friend and Guy had been that for her. When he left the apartment, she closed the door behind her and plopped down onto the couch that looked very inviting at the moment. The groceries would have to wait to be put away for now as she felt completely drained. She also knew that she needed to reach out to Bruce and let him know that the Green Lantern's were potentially going to make a stand against Superman's regime sooner rather than later. Perhaps with the Green Lanterns on their side, they could put an end to Superman's rule before it truly grabbed all control away from the world.

~~ Watchtower ~~

Superman walked through the halls of the Watchtower with purpose evident in his strides. Anyone in his way quickly stepped to the side of the Kryptonian, allowing him to pass unobstructed. Cyborg had informed Diana of Superman's orders for all to remain aboard the Watchtower for an emergency meeting. She'd questioned it and Cyborg had remained vague in his answers to her, which resulted in her becoming frustrated and storming off toward her own personal quarters. Superman had discovered though that Diana hadn't stayed in her quarters by the time he arrived, and instead was making her way to the Javelin bay. She had no intention of being ordered to stay somewhere when she wanted to be elsewhere. It was just inside the Javelin bay that Superman finally caught up to her. "Diana, wait!" He called out.

She stopped, but remained facing away from Superman as she was still extremely angry with him and his ridiculous orders. "What is it this time Kal?" She asked in a low pitch. "More attempts to control your comrades?"

"It's not like that Diana." Superman reasoned. "I needed all of the team together. Something is going to happen..."

Diana finally turned to face him, revealing her displeasure towards him and his mandates. "I don't appreciate being ordered what to do or where I can go by a peer Kal." She responded, not listening to his excuses. "Now, you can lift the mandate or not, but I _am_ going back down to the surface."

"Okay Diana, but first I need you to listen to me." Superman continued to try explaining his reasoning to her. "I'll make a compromise with you and walk you to the teleporters and send you wherever you wish to go, just so long as you hear me out along the way."

Diana marched passed Superman, intentionally bumping shoulders with him as she did. She stopped before the entrance and looked back over her shoulder at the Kryptonian man that was quickly losing her trust. "Very well Kal, I'll listen to what you have to say, but when we arrive at the teleporter, anything more will have to wait until I return."

Superman walked up next to her and began describing his meeting with Ganthet. He went into details about how the Guardians of the Universe hadn't lifted a finger to help save Krypton from its doom or at the very least its inhabitants. But now that he was trying to convert a chaotic world into one of peace, they were now concerned and threatened that they would take action against him or any that stood with him. Diana listened to every word, looking for any signs of dishonesty in what Kal had said, but found none. She was surprised that the Guardians of the Universe were willing to do something regarding Earth but not lift a finger for Krypton, and she could understand Kal's frustration with that. It still didn't explain the order denying any travel from the Watchtower to the Earth's surface, and she certainly hadn't lost sight of that. She thought about bringing it up to Kal's attention again to see how he'd respond, but they just arrived at the teleportation room, and he followed Diana to the control panel. "Where are you planning to go if you don't mind my asking?" He asked.

"I have some unfinished business to tend to." Diana responded cryptically. She wouldn't lie, but she didn't want to tell him what she planned to do in detail either. She was after all an Amazon, and no man, Kryptonian or mortal was going to tell an Amazon where they could or couldn't go.

"You're going to see Bruce aren't you?" Superman asked accusingly. Diana paused in her actions at hearing Kal's insinuation, and that pause was all the justification that he needed to see. "Why Diana?" He asked. "Why after everything that you know he's done would you go to him? Bruce doesn't want peace; he just wants the status quo. He's manipulative and controlling. He stands against everything that we're trying to do."

"I can't explain it Kal." Diana replied, admitting to her intention of finding Bruce. "There's just something about him that makes what I know of him to seem… well… they don't feel right to me inside."

"And nothing I say would change your mind?" Superman asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder, but it sounded more like a defeated statement than a question.

"I'm sorry Kal, but I have to see this through and know the truth." Diana replied. She finished inputting the coordinates for her intended destination within Gotham City and turned to step onto the pad when she felt a small prick in the back of her neck. She turned quickly to see a syringe in one of Superman's hands, the plunger already at the base of the needle indicating that whatever was in the syringe had been injected into her. "What have you done?!" She asked angrily as she shoved him hard into a wall.

Superman didn't fight back, knowing full well that the drug's effect would run its course quickly enough. When Diana headed back to the teleporter control panel to escape as well as put some distance between herself and Kal, the drug had already started working. Diana felt her legs going weak as she approached the control panel to engage the teleporter. When she was just two steps away, her legs wouldn't heed her demand to keep her upright any longer, and she collapsed, grabbing at the base of the control panel. She fought valiantly to climb up and reach the buttons on the panel as she had only one more button to press, and then get onto the pad so that she could escape the man that she had believed to be her best and most trusted friend. She clawed and scratched as she continued to fight the effects of the drug, but eventually her arms failed her and she collapsed onto the floor. Her vision became blurred as she saw Superman's feet walking towards her. All she could do to defend herself was get one arm to just rise up off the ground though before the weight of it was too much for her. "Bruce." She moaned just before her world went black.

~~ Oa ~~

All of the Green Lanterns were being called back to the home world of the Green Lantern Corps as the Guardians of the Universe discussed what needed to be done regarding Superman and his quest for power. Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner was in attendance as the Guardians each took their turns making cases for intervention and against it. Hal had been arguing about all the good that Superman had done since he'd chosen to rid the world of crime and bring about peace. He tried explaining how Superman was only acting in peace, but the Guardians though didn't seem to care about the wars that had been stopped, or the corrupt dictatorships that had been overthrown. Their main concern seemed to be about the legitimate governments such as the United States that were in the process of being overthrown as well and how Superman was building himself an army of super soldiers. Eventually Hal overstepped his bounds as he continued arguing, stating that it wasn't an army but a peace keeping force with no affiliation to any country or corrupt government, and then likened what Superman was doing to what the Guardians had done with their Corps. That was all they would hear from him any longer as they immediately ordered Hal to leave the spire and await their decision.

Outside of the spire, Hal ran into John Stewart and his old instructor, Kilowag. John shook Hal's hand in greeting, curious about how Earth had been in his absence. As they carried on their conversation, the three of them soon noticed how all of the Green Lanterns appeared to be returning when Kyle stepped out from the spire to join them as well. "The Guardians have made their decision and requested to see you again Hal." Guy informed him.

Hal marched back to the spire where the Guardians awaited him, even though he had a feeling about what was going to be announced to him. He stood tall with his head held high as he came to a stop in front of the Guardians while he pondered their possible motives in potentially making a move against his friend. It was confounding and infuriating to him that the Guardians would not only consider taking such action, but take action against a man that had been responsible for stopping wars, conflicts, and corruption. He was certain that Superman would have had an acceptable reason behind every action except for one, and that was only having any association with Sinestro. Even with that though, Sinestro had helped Superman to escape what would likely have been a sure death based on all of the Kryptonite that had been gathered and taken away from the Batcave before being deposited into the heat of the sun. Ganthet was the first to speak, breaking the silence. "We have decided that the Green Lanterns will enter the planet Earth's atmosphere. Behind the might of the Corps, Superman will be ordered to stand trial for his many egregious actions. If he refuses, then we will use force so that justice can be done. You, Hal Jordan will stand aside as you have shown much unsettling confliction with regard to the alien from Krypton."

"He is one of my friends on Earth." Hal stated. "He's provided me with no reason to believe that his trust hasn't been earned. I still don't understand why you won't listen to what I have to say about him, especially as I'm the closest of the Green Lantern Corps to Superman and better know his motives and reasoning behind his actions."

"That is precisely the reason in which you will not be involved." Ganthet fired back. "Know this Hal Jordan. We will allow you to travel to Earth with us, but if you act against the Corps, you will be stripped of your powers indefinitely."

Hal stood there in shock at knowing that he could potentially lose his powers as a member of the Green Lantern Corps. He opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it as he had no argument that would convince the Guardians to change their minds.

~~ Conference room, Watchtower ~~

"With Hal currently off planet, we need to be prepared for everything." Superman explained.

"But that doesn't mean that you should be willing to allow someone like Sinestro to join our ranks." Barry argued. "That's not merely a questionable move, it's just plain stupid."

"I agree with Flash." Lex added. "Sinestro isn't someone that we can trust. Even Hal would believe this to be true."

"Your minions are right Superman." Sinestro chimed in as he walked into the conference room. "I'm not a man that should be trusted, but so long as our goals are aligned, I am willing to sacrifice my own personal goals for the time being. We need to stand together as the Green Lantern Corps will come for us both. When they do come, you will need me."

"We'll need all the help we can get." Superman responded. "This is why Diana has called her mother to the Watchtower. So that we can request the aid of the Amazons to help repel this threat."

"Is that why Di isn't here?" Shayera asked.

"No, Diana came under Batman's manipulative nature, and she's being checked out by doctors and Cyborg for any possible form of mind control that he could've used on her." Superman answered.

"Why would Batman go that far?" Barry questioned. "He's never been one for attacking someone's mind like that before."

"Batman is desperate." Superman explained. "He knows that someone as powerful as Diana would be an incredible asset to stand against what we're trying to do. Eventually he'll either be arrested or accept that the way we are changing the world is for the best and conform to it."

The meeting continued on as everyone gave their opinions and suggestions, but eventually Superman concluded the meeting to be reconvened once they knew of the status with the Amazons. Superman simply overrode Flash and Lex's opposition at allowing Sinestro to join them with the One Earth Regime, and they eventually ceased arguing as it became evident that their opinions wouldn't sway Superman's decision. When the meeting concluded, Superman headed straight for the commissary as he knew that Hippolyta would arrive soon. As he went through a corridor, he enabled his communicator. "Victor, when Hippolyta is teleported…"

"She's just arrived." Cyborg interrupted.

"Very well." Superman commented. "Bring her to the commissary and I'll escort her from there."

Superman knew that time was short, but everything was still going according to plan. He pulled out a small vial and smiled as the next step to defeating the Green Lantern Corps was being led right to him.

* * *

Evil cliff hanger... What's Superman going to do with the Queen? R&R and let me know your guesses and what you think.


	18. Chapter 18: Beginning to March

The One Earth Government begins to take control.

Chapter 18: Beginning to March

* * *

Superman was in the medical wing, the Jervis Tech scanner in his hand as he looked over a still slumbering Diana. He'd brought the queen with him from the commissary after Cyborg had escorted Hippolyta to him. "Any why is it that you are keeping my daughter sedated?" Hippolyta asked as she approached her precious sun and stars.

"My hope's that with your presence here, once Diana sees you here it will be enough to pull out of the grasp that Batman holds over her." Superman explained.

"Batman?" Hippolyta questioned. "Of the conversations Diana has shared with me, she has only spoken highly of each member of your Justice League, Batman included. What could this _man_ possibly have done to the Princess of the Amazons?"

"Batman's a master of manipulating his opponents into doing what he wants." Superman explained. "As of right now Batman is not a member of the Justice League, and actually stands against us. He's a very powerful and resourceful enemy. I've recently discovered that he's been attempting to persuade your daughter into standing against us, standing against the possibility of world peace."

"Diana would never fall prey to such deception." The queen argued. "She is an Amazon, and such control from a man would simply not be possible."

"I'm sorry to say this your highness, but with Batman impossible isn't a word that I would ever use." Superman continued. "You see, he doesn't simply attack the mind with any normal means of persuasion. He has other tools to use at his disposal, and he is a master at finding and exploiting even the smallest of perceived weaknesses."

"Even such tools would be of no use when held against the Lasso of Truth." Hippolyta pointed out.

"But your majesty, what if he finds ways of twisting his words to the point of where they are still technically the truth, but from another point of view." Superman offered. "Over the years, I've come to realize that with Batman, there are many different levels of truth that can be discovered. Please believe me I wouldn't have called you here if I thought Diana wasn't in danger of being corrupted through brilliant deception."

"While I still find this very hard to believe, I will offer help if my daughter requires it." Hippolyta answered as she caressed one of Diana's cheeks in the palm of her hand. "What do you need of me?"

Superman smiled as he typed commands into the scanner. He held it over Diana's face; slowly moving it downward from her forehead down passed her chin. The scanner beeped a few times while he did this, the queen watching his every move as he answered her. "Actually I'm hoping that seeing you here will be enough to help her….." He paused after the final beep sounded. He turned the scanner to where he could view the screen and his smile disappeared. "That's odd." He said aloud as he began typing commands into the scanner again.

"What is it?" The queen asked. "What's wrong?"

"Not sure." Superman responded. "I think I need to try and recalibrate it. Would you mind…?" He requested as he held the scanner up innocently.

"Certainly Superman." Hippolyta responded. "If it will help Diana, I'll do whatever is in my power."

"I just need you to look into this so that I can have a secondary source to help calibrate the read outs." Superman said as he lifted the device up in front of the queen's eyes. "All you need to do is stay still for a few seconds."

"Very…" Hippolyta began to reply before her face changed to into that of a blank expression. Superman finished the scan on the queen while simultaneously stopping the feed of anesthetic from flowing into Diana's system. With her high rate of metabolism, he knew that it would only be a few minutes before Diana began to stir. After the scanner had finished, Hippolyta began to blink, and her mind began to register her surroundings once again. "Well." She finished.

"I'm glad you're in agreement." Superman replied as he set the scanner down on the stand next to Diana's bed. "The One Earth Government will be happy to join forces with the Amazon nation so that we can defend the peace that we are bringing about to the world."

"Yes…." Hippolyta said slowly. "We must certainly stand against any attempted threats against the world peace that you and our Amazon champion have been building upon." She stood from next to Diana's bed and took a few steps toward the exit before stopping and turning back to Superman. "I shall make it known on Themyscria that the Amazons will stand beside the One Earth Regime immediately. We will require that Diana to return with me to Themyscria so that a proper strategy can be established in how to best work alongside your group of fellow warriors. Once that is complete, the Amazons will be ready to stand against any upcoming threat to the world as we are needed."

"Yes, of course." Superman replied before turning to see Diana beginning to show signs of waking. "Diana will be ready to return with you in about fifteen minutes. I'll have her join you in the teleporter room. I thank you for your help your majesty."

Superman waited as the queen nodded before making her exit before he opened a channel to Cyborg. "Victor, I need for you and Raven to arrange for a video message to be relayed." He said.

"Just let me know what you need." Cyborg responded.

"I'll need that and to have the rest of the regime brought in for another meeting before the message is sent out. We have one other thing to discuss. Everyone deserves to know what we're up against."

"We'll all be ready and waiting for you." Cyborg replied.

"K….Kal." Diana whispered, drawing Superman's attention and causing him to abruptly end the conversation with Cyborg.

"Easy Diana." Superman called out softly as he halted her from sitting up too quickly. "You've been out for a few hours. I'm sorry about that, but I believe Batman must've really done a number to your mind by the way you were acting."

Diana slowly sat up so that she was resting against her elbows and just lifted up off the pillows. She rubbed her head as she tried to focus on everything. "Br….Batman…..what did he….." She stammered.

"We found some nanites in the Batcave after he attacked me." Superman explained. "We believe that at some point he was able to successfully inject some into your system, and I believe he was attempting to draw you out so that he could try reprogramming your memories. He apparently gathered the technology from one of his enemies, the Mad Hatter. Unfortunately we weren't quick enough to stop him from affecting your memories of him before we made the discovery. But I think that's the most of the damage he was able to cause, so we really were lucky for the most part. There's no telling what more damage he could've done with more time."

Diana sat up the rest of the way, keeping her eyes pinched shut as she fought off the sudden feeling of a migraine. Memories began popping up in her head with her being physically restrained by her own lasso. Batman was standing in front of her with numerous different devices, and one of them in particular that held multiple needles, which he inserted one at a time into her skull. She recalled that the feeling of each injection was excruciatingly painful followed by a hot sensation as the fluid was injected into her brain from each needle. It felt like electricity flowing through behind her eyes while he carried on about what to expect from the solution he'd given her. She then recalled fighting against the effects of the nanite cocktail swirling around inside her brain. Her struggling against the effects though only served to cause more and more pain until she was at the brink of passing out, but just before the world went black for her, she remembered feeling a rumble throughout the building they were located at, and then a loud explosion like sound was heard from an adjacent wall, blasting what revealed to be a large opening. The moonlight revealed a figure floating in through that opening, and she was unable to make out who it was for certain before everything went dark. After the memory ended, she finally opened her eyes. "I suppose I owe you a thank you." She said.

"I just wish I could've done something sooner." Superman continued on. "Even after you were back onboard the Watchtower, I was forced to use sedate you in order to stop you from trying to return to him."

"Well you needn't worry about that any longer." Diana stated with a defiant smirk forming on her face. "I think my memories are beginning to return so his attempt to control me was in vain. I can recall Batman using something with needles and injecting them into my head. I certainly won't be allowing him a second opportunity to take advantage. Were you able to remove all of the nanites from my system?"

"I believe so." Superman answered as he used his x-ray vision to look into her head. He could clearly see all of the nanites that had gripped onto Diana's brain, and smiled triumphantly upon seeing them all. "I've been checking repeatedly with my enhanced vision, and so far…. Everything seems to be clear."

"I feel fine Kal, so I believe you're right and they're all gone." Diana stated as she swung her legs off the bed and stood up. She quickly located her armor and went behind a curtain to change out of the medical gown. "Is there anything that I've missed while I was out?" She asked.

"Actually since you're up and about, I was about to head to the conference room for a meeting with every other member." Superman explained. "Also just as a precaution, I requested that your mother come aboard in case some of what Batman had done to you happened to remain ingrained into your mind."

"My mother was here?" Diana asked in surprise. It had been ages since she had seen her mother and she missed her dearly.

"She still is." Superman responded. "In fact, she's decided that the Amazons are going to rejoin man's world in the name of our global peace movement. They're even planning to stand with us because of some incredibly strong opposition that we're about to face, and we'll need all the help we can get to ensure that peace can be maintained. Hippolyta is expecting you to return with her to the island as a sort of bridge between the Amazons and the One Earth Regime in preparation for this potential threat."

"And just what is this threat?" Diana asked as she came out from behind the curtain and walked out of the recovery room with Superman following quickly behind her.

"Do you recall one of the Guardians of the Universe coming down with Guy Gardner to meet with me?" Superman answered with another question. At Diana's nod, he continued to explain. "It turns out that they believe we're becoming too powerful, and they don't want to allow us to continue down the path that we're attempting to bring to this world. They even forced Hal to return to Oa, so we won't be able to rely on him being able to stand with us."

"That doesn't sound like something the Guardians would do Kal." Diana pondered. "I was under the impression that they were keepers of peace."

"I've found out that their interests are actually only about themselves Diana." Superman grumbled. "The Guardian Ganthet admitted as much when he informed me that they didn't so much as lift a finger to help Krypton from its fate even though they knew what was happening."

"That's horrible." Diana commented.

"That's why we need to be ready." Superman said as they came to a stop in front of the conference room door. "Your mother is at the teleporter waiting for you Di. Go to her and help ready the Amazons for what's likely to be a war. Be quick though because I need you to meet me in Gotham for the next step, and then you can return to finalize the details."

Diana nodded and turned on her heels as she headed down the corridor toward the teleporter room. Superman watched as she turned a corner and disappeared from view. He only needed to secure a few more pieces in preparation for when the Green Lantern Corps arrived to virtually ensure that they'd be able to repel any attempts at being overtaken. So far, so good he thought as he let out a relief filled breath of air just before opening the door so that he could announce the next necessary step in his plan.

~~ Insurgency Headquarters ~~

Batman stood in front of the computer screens that revealed the happenings around the world, and at the same time on the center screen, a video conference with Aquaman. "I don't see how the problems of the surface world will affect Atlantis." Arthur stated.

Batman and Aquaman had been bantering back and forth for some time about the importance of Aquaman taking a stand against the One Earth Government. Batman had avoided going into details about the real reason behind needing Aquaman's presence as he wanted Arthur to see how Superman had lost control of his morals and beliefs for himself. Some things simply needed to be discovered by one's self before they could actually believe what actually was occurring, and Superman becoming a murdering power crazed lunatic happened to be one of those things. Even then, some like Damien had allowed Superman's influence to gain their trust. Arthur though was a very independent leader for his people. "If we fall up here, Clark will eventually get to you and your people Aquaman." Batman explained. "He won't stop until the whole world is under his control."

"A surface dweller will never rule Atlantis, Batman." Arthur argued. "My people would revolt against him if he happens to be crazy enough to try."

"You're people would die then." Batman fired back. "No one has faced the likes of what Clark has become, and if we don't come together now, then it might be too late for us and your people when you finally realize…"

"I've heard enough." Arthur interrupted. "You've overstepped your bounds Batman, and only because I respect you as a fellow Justice League member do I still intend to communicate further with you. But I advise you to realize that Atlantis will not join you or Superman as it holds no bearing for us or our people. Any further mention of this topic will not be tolerated."

"Then you've doomed us all Arthur." Batman stated as he slumped in his chair. "Let me know when you change your mind."

Batman ended the transmission with Aquaman and sat silently for a moment, his fingers steepled in front of his face before standing and violently throwing his chair into a wall. "Stupid stubborn Atlantean." He growled as Tim and Barbara approached from another room.

"I take it Aquaman isn't going to help." Barbara stated more than assumed.

"He's too short sighted to think that what Superman is doing will eventually make its way down to his people, and by then it could already be too late." Batman said as he regained his composure. "Is everyone else ready?"

"We got everyone to come except for Selina." Tim answered. "She's going to join by video conference though."

"Let's get started then." Batman said as he marched toward the conference room. Had they not known how the conversation with Aquaman had ended, no one would've been able to tell that he'd lost the one true chance at stopping Superman. Without Aquaman's help, the weapon definitely wouldn't be attainable. No _surface dweller_ had stepped foot into Atlantis, and therefore DNA from Aquaman would be next to impossible to get. Still yet, Bruce knew that he had to focus on Diana first. Her communicator had been offline ever since she left for the Watchtower, and that wasn't sitting well with Bruce. Clark would have definitely attempted to sink his controlling fangs back into her by this point, and he knew that he needed to get back in contact with her again as soon as possible. He had witnessed that the more time he spent with Diana, it seemed the more that she seemed to accept that something wasn't right with Clark. Bruce also knew that he needed this band of heroes as prepared as he could get them. Precision was going to be key as losing Ollie was proof enough that any misstep could prove to be fatal for any or potentially all of them. Batman's next course of action would have to concern how the people of the world perceived Superman. If they continued to be led down this path that Superman was painting for them to believe he was still the hero for the world and its best chance for peace then there would be nothing that could be done to stop him. But if the people were to know what he was truly doing, then perhaps in just the right setting, Batman could reveal the truth and get the people to stand against Superman.

Batman walked into the conference room with purpose written plainly in his body language. At the 3D imaging table sat Black Canary, Question, Huntress, and surprisingly enough, Harley Quinn. Harley and Dinah were conversing with each other, telling Batman just who it was that had brought Harley into the fold. She wasn't the trustworthy sort, but if she stood against Superman, perhaps she could help with providing distractions at the least. He would have to make certain though that she never got her hands on the durability enhancement pill. No telling what she could do with that amount of power. He only hoped that with the Joker's death, Harley would be the more rational woman she had once been. He waited until Tim and Barbara finally joined the others around the table, and it was time to begin the meeting.

~~ Conference Room, Watchtower ~~

"That's not just crazy, it's stupid." Barry argued.

"I know what you're thinking Flash, but he did help me without looking to gain anything in return." Superman offered. "Plus he was the one that located the nanite solution inside the Batcave after I was attacked. I was lucky that Batman didn't have a chance to inject anything into me like he did with Diana. You could see how he was able to influence her. Had we not found this out, who knows just how far he would've gone?" Superman pulled up an image revealing all of the nanites in Diana's head. "What more proof do you need than that to see that Sinestro is on our side?"

"Look Supes, all I'm saying is that it's not like Sinestro couldn't have just planted the nanites there to implicate Batman and make himself look more appealing in the process." Barry continued to argue. "And even if Batman has taken this path, right now that's beside the point. Hell, I'd think you were being controlled now with you're choosing to trust Sinestro. Even if the Green Lanterns are going to make a stand against us, that's just a shock."

"The Flash is right Superman." Lex chimed in. "Sinestro has done nothing to prove that he's earned the trust to join this movement. In fact, to this point I've only seen that he's only done the exact opposite."

"You're underlings are correct." Sinestro said as he entered the room. "I've not been a trustworthy soul in quite some time, but I have been one constant all this time…..A being that will stand against the Green Lantern Corps and their oppressive ways. I am here to offer you help in defeating the Green Lantern Corp and make no mistake, you will need it to be victorious."

Lex leaned in closer to those around the conference table. "Why is he even here when he hasn't even officially been accepted into the Regime?" He asked in barely more than a whisper.

"He's here because I asked him to be." Superman answered in a matter of fact tone that left no room for arguing.

"Superman knows that we are similar in our goals, and we can work toward the benefit of each other." Sinestro added. "My Sinestro Corps have already stationed at various points of this galaxy to offer advanced warning for when the Green Lanterns do decide to show themselves."

"Your help is truly appreciated Sinestro." Superman responded. "And it will go a long way toward proving that your interests lie in truly gaining world peace. Perhaps when we've established our goals here, we can help you in bringing your home world back to peace as well."

"Yes….Superman." Sinestro replied. "But first we will need to focus on this world. The Green Lantern Corps will not be defeated easily. We will have to press any advantage that becomes revealed without hesitation, and without restraint. They will be relentless in their pursuit until it becomes evident to them that defeat is the only means they will come to in their foolhardy campaign."

"This brings us back to the next topic." Superman stated, indicating that Sinestro's inclusion was no longer up for debate. "We have to have the world prepared, and that means moving forward with our task force taking over for any local law enforcement. That's why I've asked for Cyborg to arrange another press conference that will be relayed by video message to all of the news outlets. The people need to be aware of this threat, and the planet can't afford to reveal weakness. Therefore, with the task force we've assembled, we're going to remove any of the former law enforcement, and institute a temporary garrison to maintain martial law until this threat has passed. During this process, we will continuously screen for possible candidates to add to our cause."

"So you're going to choose a massive amount of people and give them this enhancement pill that Luthor designed?" Billy asked.

"No, not all of them." Superman answered. "The plan is to use the ones we've already put through a thorough screening process as commanders, and each commander will have his own squadron to control and prepare for what's coming. We're going to do this as peacefully as possible, but at any sign of aggression, we need to handle it swiftly and resolutely. We can't leave any doubt that what we're doing will be the best for the world when this threat comes."

"Alright then, where do we start first?" Shayera asked.

Nightwing stood from his seat and pulled up a 3D map over the conference table to reveal the plan to the rest of the League that Superman and he had worked out. The plan seemed logical in multiple facets, so there was little in the way of disagreeing about how to approach everything. The video would be sent out in twenty-four hours to allow the ground troops to be organized so that as soon as the message was relayed, they could begin. Superman also planned to have a surprise ready for any potential opposition with the day advanced notice to the Regime members.

~~ Insurgency Headquarters, 23 hours, 56 minutes later ~~

"I'm having a little difficulty understanding what we're doing Bruce." Dinah said in a frustrated tone. "We can't possibly be waiting until Guy makes contact again. They're the Green Lanterns for Christ's sake. It could be months before they can afford to make such a move. This isn't the only universe that they protect."

"I'm well aware of that Dinah, but we can't afford to lose any more people than we already have." Batman responded quickly. "For the time being, we need to recruit who we can trust and ready ourselves. Without Aquaman joining us, we have to bide our time and wait for the precise moment to strike otherwise everything we're fighting for will fall."

"What about reconnaissance at the least?" Huntress chimed in. "There has to be more we can do than just sit here waiting…"

"Bruce." Barbara interrupted. "You need to see this."

"What is it Barbara?" Batman asked as everyone gathered around a video screen that held an unfamiliar insignia logo with a red background and read _One Earth Government_ around it. At the bottom a message was shown stating "Please wait for this important announcement" as it spanned across the screen repeatedly. After a few moments, the insignia faded away to reveal the Man of Steel standing before a podium.

"Good evening people of Earth." Superman offered as a beginning to address the people. "You have a right to know the truth about what is happening as well as what is about to happen. Over the last few months since the Metropolis incident, all of you are aware of the lengths that the members of the Justice League and I have taken in response to the oppression by the corrupt and power hungry of the world have attempted. We've overthrown dictatorships, stopped some wars both global and civil, and rooted out some other corruption such as the President of the United States. We've set out with the intention of slowly and delicately creating a real form of peace, but certain threats have revealed themselves to the League, and I will not stand back with this information just to keep the people in the dark. You have a right to know because changes are going to be coming, and due to the agendas of the people behind these threats, we are being forced to make some changes in order to have hope of protecting the world. In this time of change, we ask that you have patience and understanding. There is a large threat looming from off world, and they will be bringing the full might of their army because they believe that this planet is weak and incapable of self rule. I've already begun the process of solidifying our defenses, but the entire world needs to be prepared. We cannot be divided in any way or else our freedoms will all be lost. Therefore, I've set up what is going to be known as the One Earth Government. In its infancy, unfortunately we're being forced to remove any form of government at this time, and that will include law enforcement. We are beginning with the eastern coast of the United States, and will be placing garrisons in each major city to better enforce martial law until such a time that the One Earth Government is established with what will one day be elected diplomats from all areas of the globe. As we move across the world, we'll begin a screening process and have volunteers that wish to join our cause trained to help in keeping with this protection order."

"We also have some good news though as we prepare to confront these threats." Superman continued. "Because of their belief in what we are attempting to achieve with bringing about peace, the Amazons have chosen to side with us to help protect man's world from this upcoming conflict."

"So much for Wonder Woman being on our side I guess." Tim stated despondently.

"Quiet." Barbara reprimanded quietly followed by an elbow into Tim's midsection. She noticed Bruce's shoulders slump ever so slightly in a manner that wouldn't be caught by anyone that didn't have a long and well known relationship with the man behind the bat. He always carried himself to hide any emotional response. However if you knew him well enough and focused on him and all his mannerisms, someone could just pick up on the little tells.

"Make no mistake that protection will be necessary even before this threat arrives." Superman explained. "Corrupt men such as Batman are still at large and plotting against this change. When we're successful and the world is finally at peace, monsters such as Batman will cease to exist. I admit that I made a mistake when we originally swept through Gotham to remove the monsters from that city. I was foolish to have left the original monster of Gotham behind. I've come to realize since then that Batman doesn't actually want justice. He would rather see the world burn than for it to finally have peace. By letting a mad man like the Joker live, he's done nothing but invite the chaos to remain intact. Now I see clearly after attempts made on my life and to control Wonder Woman by manipulating her mind that Batman has to be stopped and he's going to have to accept that he and any of his followers are going to join the other monsters that we've removed from that city."

"Talk about delusional." Dinah commented as Superman continued speaking about what the public should do if they had any clues that would lead to Batman's detainment.

"Turn it off." Batman commanded as his hands curled into white knuckled fists of rage. He spun around and stormed out of the conference room, his cape billowing madly behind him.

~~ Hall of Justice, New Metropolis ~~

"Nice speech Superman." Billy commented as Superman joined the rest of the group outside the facility. The Justice League members as well as Sinestro and Lex Luthor stood before their squadron of super soldiers in preparation for the upcoming sweep across the country.

"Thanks Billy, but now comes the difficult part." Superman responded as he addressed the group. "I've mapped out where we're going to hit. The League members are to serve as dignitaries, and will be expected to communicate with the old forms of law enforcement. Detain quickly if they give any indication of not cooperating, but try to remain peaceful if at all possible."

"You've only got cities selected on the east coast." Flash stated.

"That's right Barry." Superman replied. "We'll have to set up there where we can establish and maintain our authority. We'll need to have volunteers screened, trained, and inserted back into our ground troops before we can move on."

"Just how long do you anticipate this taking?" Lex asked.

"I expect that after one month's time, the world should all fall under One Earth Regime's authority." Superman answered. "You all have your cities so gather your troops, and let's get started. We have to have this completed before the Lantern Corps returns. Cyborg will teleport each team to the city I've chosen. Move through as quickly as you can and report back with your results."


	19. Chapter 19: Losing What's Most Important

Diana rolled over in bed onto her side, her right leg and arm now draping over something bulky and firm while at the same time having a softness about it. She couldn't stop the smile that formed on her lips as she pulled herself closer to the man that was in bed next to her. She kept her eyes closed; not wanting to open them in fear that she would realize what she felt next to her and beneath her right leg and arm would turn out to be some inanimate object instead of the man she'd hoped would be there. Keeping her eyes closed though proved to give her bedtime partner a chance to still those fears as he snaked an arm in the hollow area between Diana's shoulder and head so that he could pull her into a hug. She took in a deep breath through her nose, taking in his masculine scent. "I still can't believe we're here." Diana whispered next to his ear as she pulled in closer and pressed her lips against his ear lobe. "Not even eight hours ago would I have believed that we'd be here."

"You were relentless Diana." He responded. "I fought to maintain our friendship over everything else, thinking it was what was best between us."

"Hmm, and after last night?" She questioned contently.

He smiled and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "After last night, I'll have to re-evaluate that at the very least."

"I'd like to think that we've moved passed the evaluation stage." Diana teased while gently swatting him in the arm. "But then again, you wouldn't be the man you are if you didn't constantly evaluate every scenario in front of you."

"There are certain instances where I don't need to evaluate anything." He argued with a smile gracing his face as he leaned in to kiss Diana softly on the lips.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd believe that you were feeling sick Bruce." Diana commented after feeling the smile against her lips. "I admit to being almost frightened about opening my eyes, but I have to now that I know you're actually smiling."

Diana opened one eye slowly, seeing the smiling face of Bruce Wayne before her. "It's even better than I'd imagined." She commented as she gently brushed the backs of her fingers along his jaw line. Bruce reached up with his free hand and brought her hand to his lips, where he placed a soft kiss against her knuckles.

Bruce's smile grew a little bigger upon looking into Diana's bright blue eyes. There was almost a white shine to them that he noticed just before his alarm clock began beeping next to his head.

"He's waking up." Bruce heard a female voice say that was clearly not Diana's, but he still recognized it. His smile quickly disappeared as Diana sat up in front of him, the beeping increasing slightly and now that he'd thought about it, his alarm clock didn't sound anything like that. The beeping tone sounded more like….a heart monitor. Bruce's head snapped over to the direction of the alarm clock only to notice that it wasn't an alarm clock at all.

"Noooo!" He yelled as he sat up in bed quickly before being overcome with agonizing pain.

"Easy Bruce." Dinah called to him as she stopped him from moving any further and gently pushed him back down to the medical bed. "Everything's alright Bruce, you're safe."

"Every…..thing's…..not alright." Bruce managed to force out. He felt like a semi had been set on his chest. "What…."

"From what I was told, a certain Amazon took liberties with your well being." Another familiar voice stated. Bruce looked over with his eyes so as not to strain anything else to notice who it was.

"Leslie?" He questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"Barbara and Tim came and got me when you were hurt young man." Leslie said.

"You were lucky." Dinah added.

"Yeah Bruce." Tim commented. "I thought Diana was supposed to be joining our side, not trying to kill you."

"I….I didn't…." Bruce paused, trying to recall what had happened.

~~ Five nights before the dream ~~

Jim Gordon stood atop the GCPD Major Crimes building next to the Bat signal. He'd come up to get away from the televisions that were blaring reports constantly about Superman's campaign. It was impossible to miss, and with Superman starting on the eastern seaboard of the United States, which meant Gotham would be one of the first targeted areas by him. Any and all law enforcement agencies were informed by the Mayor to stand down so as to prevent any unnecessary casualties. His thinking that there simply was no one that could stand up to the likes of the Man of Steel. Gordon couldn't argue with his logic as Superman was supposed to be basically invulnerable, and when adding any other members of the Justice League together alongside him, who among the people would stand a chance. He was angered just the same though because of all the hard work that he'd put in with his police force to bring justice to this once broken city. Sure it was far from perfect, but they were still moving in the right direction. He'd come up to the rooftop for a smoke as well as to debate within himself if he should make an attempt to contact the man most responsible for helping to turn the city back from the ashes. "And I half expected that signal to be lit up Commissioner." Came the voice of Superman above him as the Man of Steel descended onto the rooftop in front of Jim. "Why haven't you contacted Bruce yet?"

"_Batman_ is not a public figure like my men and I." Jim offered. "I was ordered by the Mayor to stand down, but I don't like the thought of giving up control of the city I've scratched and clawed through the years to serve and protect."

"Your service and protection wasn't good enough Jim." Superman fired back. "Your Mayor was right to have you stand down anyways. Bruce can't stop this any more than you or your men can."

"You don't sound quite as confident as you're trying to _Superman."_ Jim responded defiantly. "You won't be able to force your control over the whole world, and regardless of what you do, I won't look to you as any form of authority over us."

"I'd watch my tone if I were you Jim." Superman threatened. "Otherwise I'll have to use my will to force this change on you. Accept it and move on, or you can be detained just like the rest of the monsters that corrupt this city. Maybe when I bring down your precious vigilante, you can share a cell with him on Stryker Island."

Jim lit his cigarette and took a drag before he responded, still defiant. "And maybe Batman will bring about a force to stand against you, and we'll find out just who the better of the two of you it actually is. My money's on Batman."

Superman started to become angry at the soon to be former Commissioner's words until he noticed something when Jim took another drag from his cigarette, causing him to smirk instead before lifting off into the air and hovering just in front of Jim. "I'd place you under arrest now just to ensure that you don't cause any more trouble with inciting insurrection, but it'd just be a waste of time like telling you to quit smoking before its too late. But you haven't got long enough to cause my team and I problems for too much longer. Go ahead and flip on the signal Jim. It'll just make tracking Bruce down that much easier."

Jim stared at the cigarette in his hand after hearing what Superman had informed him of. He eventually dropped the cigarette before lifting his hand and absentmindedly turning on the signal. Batman needed to know about his condition at the very least. It would help him to know just who all he could add to a resistance faction that would be standing against Superman.

~~ Insurgency Headquarters ~~

"Bruce, the Bat signal just went up." Barbara called out from in front of the computer monitors.

"Its beginning in Gotham." Bruce responded as he looked at the other monitors that revealed troops marching into the outskirts of the city. He walked over to the equipment that had been producing the enhancement pills nonstop ever since the rest of the team had gone out and gathered all the necessary materials. Everyone there had a pill to take and there were still some extras that could be taken into the city. Jim and some of his men would surely stand with him against Superman's flawed logic. He pulled all the pills out, tossing one to each Insurgency member around him before putting the rest in a utility belt compartment. "With the signal up, we need to get to Jim." He ordered. "Jim will have some reinforcements that we can use to our benefit as well. We'll need all the help we can get to repel this."

"So we're taking on the League and their super soldiers?" Dinah asked.

"I know it doesn't sound like much, but we need to show Clark that he can't just take the world or there'll be nothing left to fight for when Guy and the rest of the Lantern Corp arrive."

"What do ya want me to do Bats?" Harley asked, handing out a hand to receive one of the pills.

Batman turned to face her, and looked down at her expectant hand briefly before dismissing it. "You're going to slip in through the street and gather as many people as you can that will stand up against Superman." He stated. "Under no circumstances are you to engage at all until we've confirmed whether or not Superman is here. He'll kill you the first chance he gets if you're standing with us, pill or not, and no you're not getting one."

"That's not fair!" Harley exclaimed. "I'm here same as you."

"You're here because Dinah brought you Quinzel, not because you were expected to stand up against Superman." Batman stated with a glare that brooked no room for argument. "The only thing you being there would do is cause his rage to rise and potentially make him even more unstable. The best thing you can do right now is remain behind the scenes and possibly gather people that are willing to join the cause."

"Okay Bats, okay." Harley conceded. "Sheesh, who woulda thought that Superman would get himself all worked up over little ole me."

"You're still tied to the Joker." Huntress stated. "And that makes you dangerous to be around. In my opinion we should just drop her off and let her fend for herself. She'll only cause us problems anyways."

"Perhaps and perhaps not." Question replied. "Ms. Harleen Quinzel currently serves as a trigger to Superman's control. If he were to discover her at the right time, then she could possibly draw him out to a position where we might be able to take advantage."

"Question's right, but now is not that time." Batman informed them. "Right now we need to get into Gotham and gather some of Gordon's men to help take a stand with us. Without the pills, everyone will get mowed down, and we can't afford to give up this level of control that Superman is attempting to grab."

~~ Streets of Gotham, 1 hour later ~~

The troops that Superman had brought with him had been making their way through the city with little resistance to that point so far. As expected, there were some people that attempted to stand against the soldiers, but with the help of the enhancement pill any attempt was quickly thwarted. There were some injuries to the people that chose to resist, but so far no critical injuries and even fewer arrests were being made. Surprisingly, none of those that resisted were criminals, but instead cops that had chosen not to stand down as ordered by the Mayor. Everyone seemed to be accepting that they had no choice in the matter, and that actually disappointed Superman slightly. He had hoped that Batman would come and attempt to make a stand, especially after Jim Gordon had reluctantly turned on the Bat signal. To this point though, there had been no sightings of his former ally and friend. Still he knew better than to believe that Bruce would simply accept this take over as inevitable. He was nothing if not a stubborn man.

As the troops marched down a street and turned towards the center of the city, they found that a single man was standing in their path. "Alright Superman's puppets." Harvey Bullock called out. "You've had your fun. Now it's time for you to turn around and get outta our city."

The troops came to a stop just before the former police officer, their guns raised and pointing at him. "Stand aside detective." One of the men ordered.

"What for?" Harvey responded. "You're not the law here. We are."

"Last chance sir." The soldier stated. "Either stand aside or we'll be forced to detain you or make you stand aside."

"Why don't you come over and make me then." Harvey said smugly. "If you think you're big enough."

The soldier stowed his weapon and marched right up to Harvey, where he leveled the cop with a right hook to the jaw. Harvey's head snapped from the blast of the blow, but not like a super powered individual had hit a normal human. That revelation shocked the soldier to the point that he wasn't able to stop the counter that Harvey threw in the form of a devastatingly strong uppercut which lifted the soldier off his feet and promptly landing him on his backside. The rest of the soldiers started to swarm in a rallying motion to protect their brother in arms as well as help to detain the unruly man before them, but as they did that, more civilians began exiting the surrounding buildings.

Superman watched from the sky as he recognized that most of the people that were coming out were GCPD police officers, and eventually Jim Gordon joined them. "You've come far enough Superman." Jim barked. "The people of Gotham won't stand for this any longer."

Superman sneered at this opposition. Bruce had apparently been busy since their last encounter as he'd obviously supplied the Gotham police force with the enhancement pill he'd stolen. Still there was no sign of him anywhere as Superman scanned the buildings for any other opposition. He knew that Bruce was up to something, but hadn't revealed all the cards he had to utilize. This was just the first step. Reminders from the old flawed way Superman thought to himself. Soon they'd be nothing but a distant memory. "There's no need to have any confrontation Jim." Superman called out with a smirk showing on his face. He spoke loudly enough so that anyone staying in the neighboring buildings would be able to hear him from where he was levitating. This would only add to the support he'd been receiving from the people. "Stand aside peacefully, and I'll forgive this transgression. We only want what's best for this world and to help keep it safe. If there's infighting amongst the people of Earth, then once the coming threat arrives, they'll be able to dismantle us completely, and rule the people in any way they deem fit."

"I don't see how that's any different than what you're doing Superman." Jim fired back. "We're supposed to be a part of the greatest nation in the world, and that nation is great because of our freedom. It looks like you're only taking that away instead of some other controlling lunatic."

The smirk left Superman's face upon hearing Jim's words. How could anyone think that he wanted them to simply live under his rule? All he wanted to do was save the world from itself and sculpt it into a world of peace and without conflict or corruption. He glided down and touched down in front of Gordon, as both men now stood in front of their own forces. "That's not what I'm trying to do Jim." Superman inclined. "All I want is to help this world transition into one of peace. Once that is done I have every intention of constructing a government that is capable of looking out for the world's best interests instead of for a few."

"That's not what it looks like from our perspective." Jim responded. "You're marching your army across our land taking control over everything and everyone with the threat of detainment or worse. That's not freedom, its subjugation and it's not going to work. Not so long as there are people like my men and women, myself, and Batman."

Superman's ire rose upon hearing the name of Bruce's alter ego. "Batman is an enemy of justice." He sneered. "If you're going to align yourself with him, then you're also guilty and will be held accountable for your actions."

"So be it." Jim stated.

Superman turned on his heel and walked through the front line of his super soldiers. He stopped and took a deep breath where anyone watching him could plainly see the rise and fall of his shoulders. "Take them." He commanded, and his troops quickly responded to the command, running forward to engage the line of former GCPD officers. The first soldier there reached out to grab hold of Jim, but he was met with a thunderous fist to the face that left his eyes watering profusely. From that moment chaos seemed to erupt along the street with former police officers facing off against a large groundswell of Superman's troops. Superman continued to watched from his higher position, his troops doing well even though they were up against opposition that were just as strong. They had the numbers in their favor, and it would only be a matter of time.

Superman was enjoying the view of his men as they continued to progress forward slowly. He was so enthralled that he almost didn't hear the sound of something ripping through the air. He turned to see what it was, but only quickly enough to catch a glimpse of the batarang before it impacted his chest and exploded. All the commotion on the streets briefly paused from hearing the explosion above them. Both former police officers and Superman's troops stopped to look up. When he looked back down at the melee below, he saw the sonic cry of Black Canary bowling over many of his troops and essentially flanking them as well as pinning them into a congested area. Gordon's men had also been joined in the front line by Robin, Huntress, and Question.

Still yet though Superman couldn't find where Bruce was at. Surely with the others here, Bruce wouldn't put his team in danger without being there himself. He simply wasn't the type to trust others in following through with whatever plan he'd concocted. What were his goals though? There were other eastern seaboard cities that were being overtaken at the very same time. Even if he were to somehow stem the process of taking control over Gotham, he'd have to realize that they would only return in greater numbers. Superman also had one more ace up his sleeve to use, and it would only be a matter of time before that option would be available to use and exploit.

Superman decided that he'd focus on the task at hand until Batman would make his presence known. If he knew Bruce as well as he believed, then whenever Bruce's plan seemed to be either heading towards failure or following along as he'd expected, and then Bruce would show himself. Until that time, Superman chose to sit back and remain vigilant while his troops handled the battle before them. Only if they began to falter would he intervene.

~~ Gotham sky ~~

"Is it online yet?" Batman asked from the cockpit of the Batwing.

"Yeah." Barbara answered. "I'm running diagnostics now, but I still don't understand why you're bringing it out now. Even if we win Superman will just come back with more men."

"True, but we've got to at least show the people that there are some of us willing to stand up against him." Bruce responded. "Besides, that is being used for its intended purpose. As more of a distraction than anything else."

"Seems like an awful lot of firepower for just a distraction." Barbara pointed out. "How much did this cost you anyways?"

"I don't have a dime to my name thanks to Clark, so that's hardly important anymore." Bruce replied. "Just tell me when the package closes in. We can't leave everyone out there for too long or we'll end up losing more than we already have."

~~ 2 hours later ~~

"This is Superman. Go ahead." The Man of Steel said as he answered the hail from his communicator.

"We've received reports back from Miami, Charlotte, New York, and Boston." Cyborg responded. "All cities put up little to no resistance with detainment in the lower fifties so far. They've also begun establishing secure areas to serve as garrisons and begin the recruiting process."

"That's good news." Superman stated.

"They're awaiting next orders Superman." Cyborg returned. "Do we continue moving east?"

"Negative Victor." Superman answered. "Have them hold their positions and ensure that they maintain a stronghold while I deal with a surge of resistance in Gotham. They need to be ready in the event that more troops are needed here."

"Understood." Cyborg said before Superman cut the connection. He again took in the battle below, and wasn't pleased with the results to that point. So far only a handful of GCPD officers had been taken down while close to twenty of his soldiers had fallen. A good portion of that had come from the efforts of Black Canary. She was working alongside Tim almost flawlessly, and Tim had been serving as an excellent field general to that point. It was obvious to anyone that would view his actions and orders that he'd been trained by the analytical mind of Batman. Bruce's continued absence had also plagued Superman's thoughts ever since Tim and the others had arrived. He'd even reached out a few times to Cyborg in tracking activity across the globe for any sightings of the famous Batman, but all checks came back negative. Another sonic cry from Dinah brought Superman out of his concerned thoughts to see that another large chunk of his troops had been incapacitated. The ones still standing were no longer holding the numbers advantage, and Superman knew that it had become now or never for him to take action. He couldn't afford to show weakness now on the first night of this attempt he was orchestrating. If he did then other cities would be sure to follow suit, and he didn't have the time available to snuff out such an opposition.

Superman dropped down from the sky and the people still fighting seemed to part like the Red Sea as he touched down. His eyes were glowing red with the threat of heat vision as he glowered menacingly towards the heroes that would stand against him. He truly had hoped that his men could handle the situation, again thinking about the notion of showing strength, but now taking control had to be the priority. Perhaps if they quickly squashed this little uprising then other factions would think twice about it. He took one step towards his opposition and was immediately met by the blast of Dinah's sonic canary cry. It was extremely painful and did well to blast another group of Superman's troops that were forming their ranks behind him. The shrill cry was strong enough that had he not been nearly invulnerable, he'd have thought his ears would be bleeding and suffering ruptured ear drums.

Superman continued to stand there taking everything that Black Canary was throwing his way, and when he sensed that she was running out of breath, he swung his arms forward slamming his hands together with enough force that it created a shockwave sending Canary onto her backside and quite a few of Gordon's men tumbling and clutching their ears. Superman smirked upon seeing the after effects of his maneuver as Tim was just beginning to climb to his feet while almost everyone else were still trying to shake their heads clear. He turned back towards his men that had gathered once again behind him. Another beep from his communicator chimed in his ear as he instructed his men to apprehend the traitors to the One Earth Government. "This is Superman." He responded through the communicator as the troops marched forward with Meta level handcuffs at the ready.

"You wanted me to call when she arrived." Cyborg answered.

"Keep her on stand down." Superman replied. "It looks like…..things…." Superman paused as he heard the faint sound of what sounded like a whistle growing stronger. He looked to the sky using his enhanced vision and could just make out a small black object in the sky. "On second thought Victor, have her on standby. I might just have a use for her after all."

In the time he'd taken to speak with Cyborg, the whistle was now loud enough to be noticed by everyone else. The troops had only begun to apprehend some of the police officers and Tim had been fighting valiantly against three soldiers until everyone looked to the sky. Sure enough the Batwing came roaring by, and Superman noticed something jettisoning from the jet as it flew overhead. Perhaps Bruce was going to join in after all. Opportunity was knocking for him now he believed as the object plummeted downward. The object opened its appendages and thrusters fired out of the feet to slow its descent before slamming down onto the pavement. It was a mechanical exoskeleton Batsuit. Superman smirked upon seeing what it was. "Not strong enough to take me on even with the pill eh Bruce?" He taunted. "I was getting disappointed thinking that you might not even show up tonight."

"Shut up and fight Kent." Batman said as he took an attacking stance. Superman flew forward quickly to slam into Bruce with great force. He was going to rip Bruce from that suit and make an example out of him, but Batman swiftly changed into a defensive stance and latched onto Superman's arm before spinning violently and using Superman's own momentum against him, throwing him up into the air and a few blocks away in the process. The fight between the GCPD and Insurgency against Superman's men continued around him as he left to re-engage the Man of Steel.

Batman didn't have to go far to locate Superman though as the Man of Steel came up and slammed into Batman's midsection, only coming to a stop when Batman's back connected with a building behind him. Superman immediately followed with an uppercut, his hope that Batman wouldn't have enough time to react, but that was hoping for too much it seemed as Batman was able to move his head to the left and avoid contact. He then followed up with a sharp knee in order to create some space, but it only forced Superman to lunge over a little before he reached forward and managed to grab hold of one of Batman's arms. Superman's teeth were grinding together as he looked back into the dull eyes of Batman's cowl. "That's enough Bruce." He seethed. "You're done!" He screamed as he pulled with all his might, ripping the arm off that he had in his hands. He quickly examined the separated arm, realizing that it was merely mechanical before his anger began to grow. "Where the hell are you Bruce?" He shouted as the exoskeleton pushed itself off of the wall that it had been leaning against.

"I'm right here Clark." Batman stated from behind Superman as he appeared from out of the darkness.

Superman appraised the situation quickly, and noticed something in Batman's right hand. "I've had about enough of your toys Bruce." He responded through clenched teeth as he tossed the mechanical arm to the side.

Batman tossed the item at Superman in a manner that Clark had no problems whatsoever catching. "It's not a toy Clark." He stated as he watched Superman inspecting the item. "It's a tracking device."

"What, you've been tracking me?" Superman scoffed.

"No Clark." Batman responded quickly. "Its design is more of a beacon."

Just then a red light turned on and Superman went to throw the device away, but before he could do that, the metal shoulder protection plates lifted up on the exoskeleton suit, revealing two small green tipped projectiles that fired and struck Superman in the shoulder blades before exploding, causing him to fall to his hands and knees. Batman stalked towards Superman, ready to put a stop to this madness. "You were right Clark; even with the pill I wouldn't have been strong enough to stop you." Batman said as he slammed a well placed kick into Superman's ribs, and surprisingly causing some blood to be spat out by the Kryptonian. "But with Kryptonite tipped missiles weakening you by their impact on you, I can end your attempt to take over the world before it's too late."

Batman picked Superman up by the neck to see a battered and bloodied Man of Steel before him. "You'll….have to….kill me to stop me." Superman wheezed out before he threw a punch aimed for Batman's head that was swiftly dodged and countered with a body shot.

"No Clark." Batman refuted. "I'm not going to kill you, just stop you from this madness." Superman took another swing that Batman caught and naturally reacted with a knee to Superman's gut that forced the Man of Steel to bend over and fall back to the ground. Batman waited until his former friend managed to get back to a vertical base before he tried to reason. "Give up Clark. This isn't the way to deal with your loss. There has to be some of the man left that I respected inside. Stop what you're doing. It's not too late."

"I'll never stop Bruce." Clark murmured before throwing another punch at Bruce's head. Bruce dodged and countered with a three strike combination that caused Superman to become weak in the knees. Instead of waiting at this point, Batman had realized that he'd have to subdue Superman if at all possible. It would have to be long enough that he could be transported to a secure facility where a holding cell existed that could keep him confined. Batman executed a leg sweep that Clark managed to avoid, but not the overhand left that Bruce threw as well, with it making good contact with the side of Clark's face. That punch spun Superman around and down to one knee as he fought to maintain his upright position. Another lazy uppercut was once again avoided easily by Batman, and followed up with a front kick to Superman's backside forcing him to the ground this time.

Superman got back to his hands and knees before spitting up more blood to try and get the metallic taste from his mouth. He rolled over into a seated position to see how far Bruce was from him. He crawled backwards as Bruce approached, obviously trying to keep the pressure up. "You don't have it in you to stop this Bruce." Clark taunted as he worked to keep space between the two of them. "I can already feel my strength returning. What are you going to do in order to keep me locked up? By the time you got me anywhere, the effects of the Kryptonite will have worn off. You have no choice but to kill me."

"There's always a choice Clark, but you seem to have forgotten that." Bruce countered as he saw his former friend climbing back up to his feet. While Superman was getting up, Batman thought he saw Superman's hand attempting to discreetly reach up towards his ear. "Calling in the cavalry Clark?" He questioned, but the only answer was the sound of an explosion from behind him. Batman turned to see what had been the cause to find his exoskeleton suit in a mangled pile with a figure standing above in the middle of the smoke that was emanating from the rubble.

"Not the cavalry Bruce, just what I'd planned for you when you decided to show yourself." Superman responded. "I have a world to prepare for war, and I can't have the struggle from a few stop me."

Superman lifted off into the air and turned to fly away, but Batman had been prepared for that maneuver, quickly pulling out his grapnel and snaring Superman by the ankle. Even though his strength was beginning to come around, he was still too weak to carry more than his own body weight and Bruce was going to take full advantage of that fact. It was a calculated risk, knowing that Superman had called in someone to allow him to escape but the end of this regime would only come if its leader was behind bars, and regardless of what Superman had done, the last time Bruce had been with her, Diana had finally started to wake up to the truth. "She's not going to save you Clark, not this time." He said as he began to reel Superman back in. "Your lies and deceptions don't hold enough power over Diana."

"Speak for yourself Bruce." Clark fired back confidently as he watched Diana appear through the smoke with her sword in hand. She marched up silently to Bruce while both men kept their eyes on her as Bruce continued pulling Superman in.

"Kal go!" Diana shouted as she swung her sword at the grapple line, snapping it in two. "I'll handle Batman."

Superman nodded and flew off towards the atmosphere as Bruce turned his attention towards the woman he loved. "What were you thinking Diana?" He asked

"I'm not about to allow you to get in the way of Kal creating peace for the world." Diana seethed as a response. "Your time of manipulating people is over Bruce."

"What…." Bruce started before being forced to dodge the swing of Diana's blade aimed for his head. "The hell are you talking about Diana?" He asked while stepping back to avoid an elbow shot.

"My memories returned Bruce." Diana answered as she attempted a front kick that was blocked followed by a spinning backhand that landed as a glancing blow. "Your grip on me is gone and will never happen again. Please do fight back so that I have reason to kill you instead of arresting you."

Bruce lowered his hands to his sides and looked directly into Diana's eyes. "On my parent's graves Diana, I swear to you that I've never once manipulated any part of you or your mind. I'm not going to fight the woman I love more than life itself."

"That's a shame." Diana stated just before slamming her fist directly into Bruce's face.

~~ Present time ~~

"I don't remember what happened, but Clark must've done something to Diana's mind." Bruce said as he fought to recall more.

"She gave you a serious concussion aside from other injuries Bruce." Leslie informed him. "It's not surprising that your memories from that night are sketchy at best."

Gotham's fall

Chapter 19: Losing What's Most Important

* * *

"The one certainty we can take from this though is that whatever Superman's done to Diana, it seems to be too strong for us to hope to change." Helena commented as she joined around the table. "I'm sorry Bruce, but the woman you knew seems to be gone."

"Perhaps she is." Bruce conceded as his heart broke into pieces. It took the indomitable will of the Bat to keep from shedding a single tear at that moment. The only thing he seemed to have a chance at was justice, just like it had been for years after his parents were murdered.

~~ Watchtower ~~

Have the shields been activated yet?" Superman asked Cyborg in the League meeting.

"Yeah, nothing's going to be able to get in or out unless we know about it." Cyborg answered. "I've even installed sensors and cameras that will pick up movement along the perimeter of the Wayne Manor grounds."

"That seems like overkill considering what you did to the cave after Gotham came under our control." Barry added. "Is there even anything useable in there anymore?"

"If there is then Bruce would be sure to use it." Superman responded. That mechanical suit with Kryptonite tipped missiles came from there, I'm sure of it. Besides, even without the enhancement pills, Bruce is too dangerous to be left with any options. He managed to escape Diana after all."

Wonder Woman's teeth grinded together in frustration over letting Batman slip through her grasp.

"We need to focus on the Green Lantern Corps anyways." Sinestro chimed in. "We have to be ready for their arrival. It could be any day and they will be much more formidable than _Batman_."

"Sinestro's right." Superman agreed. "For now, Bruce will have to wait."


End file.
